Original Sin
by mystique-jewled
Summary: Edward Cullen is a notorious pirate and a wanted murderer. Isabella Swan is the daughter of a rich Baron and wants desperately out of her rigid lifestyle. She runs away and circumstances force her to disguise herself as a boy on Edward's pirate ship. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

**BPOV:**

I held the page down with my thumb as my eyes flowed across the thin paper. I felt a small smile curve at my lips as I read about the antics of the characters in the novel that my Uncle Alec had gotten for me.

He was the only one who truly understood my passion for books.

My Father would likely scoff and tell me that reading should be limited to entail only letters, messages, and posters. And my Mother would probably take away the book faster than I could hide it so that I didn't get ridiculous ideas from what I had read.

So I thrilled in times like these where I could read unrestrictedly.

Uncle Alec, like me enjoyed reading books. It was one of the many common hobbies that we had. How fun Uncle Alec and my stiff Mother could possibly be siblings was beyond me, but I tried not to question it.

Adventurous as he was, he liked to travel the seas, always bringing me back curious little trinkets from lands that I could only dream of.

My fingers travelled up the back of my neck and in to my untamed tresses. I felt around for the band that was holding the curls together and pulled lightly, allowing my hair to fall around my shoulders.

I absentmindedly tugged at the ends of my hair that lay next to my waist.

The book was absolutely enthralling as it described the adventures of a man and his best friend. Reckless escapades and close encounters with authority seemed to be the theme of the book. I couldn't count how many times my heart had been in my throat while I read, anxious to see how they would escape.

A light knock on the door shook me from my thoughts. My head jerked up and my eyes widened as I stared at the door.

_No, no, no!_

If my Mother knew about this book, she'd surely take it from me.

"Um, hold on a second!" I cried as I scrambled out of the bed and allowed my eyes to scour the room, frantically looking for a hiding place.

"Ma'am, may we come in?" I heard Angela's sweet voice enquire from outside.

I bit my lip and dropped to my knees, shoving the book under the bed. I coughed as some dust from underneath the bed rose up in a cloud and tickled my nose.

I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand and straightened up.

"Yes, come in!" I smoothed my dress down with my hands and sat down on the edge of my bed.

The door opened slightly as Angela entered the room, with not my Mother but a scowling black-haired girl.

"Oh, Allison!" I sighed with relief, "You scared me!"

I dropped down to my knees and reached under the bed to grab my book once more. I looked at her as I got up and smiled.

"You made me wait!" She pouted as she sat down on a chair at the far side of the room. She glanced at the book in my hand. "And for a book, of all things!"

I shook my head at her, amused yet slightly frustrated.

Allison was my best friend yet sometimes she could be incredibly naïve. I wished that I could show her how amazing reading a book could be, but she always refused.

"It's a very good book," I informed her as I took a seat opposite her, glancing wistfully down at the novel.

Allison rolled her eyes. "I will never understand how you can spend so much time simply reading words on a page."

"They aren't just words on a page, Allison." I told her emphatically.

She simply waved me off. I sighed and looked down at the book.

"Would you like anything, ma'am?" Angela asked from beside me. Angela was my handmaid, but she was more of a friend to me than a servant. She had brown hair just like me, but it was cut far shorter than mine and tied up in a tight bun. I had grown up with her and her Mother had taken care of both of us when we were young.

"No, thank you Angela." I smiled in thanks. She nodded and retreated, shutting the door softly behind her.

I turned back to Allison who was observing the sleeves of her dress critically.

She smiled as she looked up at me. "Have you seen your dress for the gala your parents are holding?" Her eyes flashed with enthusiasm.

Allison was the Duke's daughter and had grown up with galas and fancy dresses, yet it seemed that she would never get enough of it.

I frowned as I remembered the particular gala she was talking of. It was one that my parents had decided to throw in order to increase their reputation and find a suitable husband for me.

_'Two birds with one stone,'_ my Mother had remarked enthusiastically when my Father had proposed it.

"No, Allison," I sighed, "I haven't seen my dress; nor do I want to."

Allison frowned. "Would it kill you to show a little enthusiasm about it? It's only a gala. You go to one every other week."

I cringed. "Please stop. You sound like my Mother." I took a deep breath, "And one every week is far too much. It's one of the reasons that I'm dreading this one."

Allison sighed. "I don't understand why you and I are so different, yet such good friends." She smiled wryly at me.

I laughed as I realized the truth that her statement held. "You're right. But I enjoy our friendship, and at least my _Mother_ approves." Sarcasm filled my voice over the last few words.

It was true, though. She had approved of Allison, but only because it was impossible not to.

Allison was the kind of daughter that my Mother wished she had. She was beautiful, lady-like, and her parents had a very good reputation around town.

Not to mention, her Father was the cousin of the Prince.

Allison laughed lightly. "Well they _do _say that opposites attract."

I smiled and nodded. "How are your parents?"

"Well," She responded with a smile, "They ask about you quite a lot."

Allison's parents liked me as much as my parents liked Allison. I was over at their manor often and they were very nice people.

They were not at all the stuffy, aristocratic people you would expect them to be.

"And yours?" Allison asked, referring to my parents.

I scowled. "Fine." I thumbed the pages of the book lightly.

"That doesn't sound too good." Allison remarked, frowning. "What happened?"

I sighed. "All they can talk about these days is _marrying me off_." I said, sneering. "I'm eighteen!"

Allison raised an eyebrow. "Most women are married years before that."

"Are you implying that I should get married _now_?" I asked her incredulously.

"Well," Allison began hesitantly, "It's not exactly a bad age to get married. After all, your parents only want the best for you."

"No, they want what's best for their reputation." I muttered. I knew that it was not at all proper to be talking of my parents this way, but I couldn't help it.

It had been boiling up in me for quite a while, and as it always did when I was with Allison, it came out.

I sighed and shook my head.

Allison bit her lip as she stared at me warily.

She didn't understand. She enjoyed the life that she lived. She went along with everything that society expected of her and never questioned it.

I, however, couldn't live like that. Whenever Uncle Alec would come back from distant countries with new stories and gifts, every part of me yearned to go with him. I wanted to experience everything he did.

But I knew that my parents and Uncle Alec would never approve.

There was another light knocking at the door, but this time the person outside didn't wait for an answer before they opened the door and walked in.

Allison and I turned to see my Mother walk in, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. Her face contained vestiges of great beauty, but all that was now hidden under her sour expression. She was of a tall stature that was enhanced by her stiff posture.

"I need to speak with you, Isabella." She said curtly. She spared a glance at Allison and smiled warmly. The smile was so rarely present on my Mother's face that it looked as if her facial muscles were actually struggling to perform the gesture. "I hope you'll excuse her for a minute, Allison. It won't be but a minute." She promised.

Allison smiled back politely. "Of course."

I exhaled heavily as I got up, not making an effort to disguise my reluctance to follow my Mother.

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything as she turned and headed to the door. "Come, Isabella!" She called, imperiously as she exited the room.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Allison. "You'll wait for me, won't you?"

"Yes, I will." Allison ensured, smiling at me. "Go!" She urged when I hesitated.

I nodded and hurried after my Mother.

She was walking a few steps in front of me and I made sure that it stayed that way. I had no desire to walk with her and begin yet another talk about the upcoming gala.

As we walked through the cold corridors of our far-too-large house, I wondered what my Mother wanted to talk about.

I wasn't particularly afraid about the curt tone in which she spoke to me. It was normal for her.

I glanced around me at the expensive old vases and paintings that littered the hallways, making sure that everyone who walked them knew exactly how rich we were.

It was disgusting.

I thought of a book I had read a while book. The main character in the book associated home with thoughts of comfort, warmth, and safety.

I associated home with thoughts of dreary hallways, reputation-obsessed parents, and expectations that were set far too high by society.

I glanced down at my feet bitterly as my Mother rounded the corner and opened the door to a small chamber.

I followed, knowing that she was leading us in to my Father's study.

My heart sunk, knowing that this was going to be yet another conversation about how I should behave myself during the gala in order to attract the perfect husband.

The study was regal, with a mahogany desk in the corner. There were plush chairs seated in the center that definitely cost a lot but they looked far from inviting to me.

"Sit." My Mother commanded, gesturing towards the couches.

I sighed and sat down, staring up at my Mother with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going to go fetch your Father, we have to talk about a couple of things," She told me. I nodded. Her eyes narrowed as she took in my hair that was hanging loosely around my shoulders. "And for goodness' sake, do something about that hair of yours. You look like a streetwalker."

I glared at her as she spun on her heel and left the room in search of my Father.

I exhaled hard and forced myself to calm down. I got up and walked over to the mirror above the fireplace.

I narrowed my eyes as I took in my appearance. I didn't see what Mother was talking about.

I _definitely_ didn't look like a streetwalker.

I rolled my eyes but ran my hands through my hair before braiding it to one side. Sometimes it was better just to let it go.

I heard footsteps and turned to see my Father enter behind my Mother.

Like my Mother, my Father had a very strict face. The frown lines that littered his face made him seem much older than he really was.

"Father," I greeted stiffly. He nodded at me and sat down on one of the chairs. He gestured for me to do the same. I sat down and glanced over at Mother.

Had she forgotten that Allison was waiting for me? Why wouldn't she just tell me why she had called me?

She took a deep breath and nodded at Father. "Do you remember a handsome young man named Jacob Black? I am sure you two have met at the last ball." She raised an eyebrow impatiently as she waited for me to recall who he was.

I furrowed my brow. Jacob Black...Jacob Black...

Sudden memories filled me and my head whipped up to look at her, horrified. He was the absolute most arrogant and lecherous man I had ever had the misfortune to be in the presence of.

He had pressured me all night for a dance, and when I finally gave in, his hands had constantly strayed below my waist. I would never forget his twisted smirks and his eyes that couldn't seem to stay above my neck.

"What of him?" I whispered.

_Please, please, please don't be saying what I think you're saying..._

Mother smiled, looking very pleased. "He asked for your hand this morning."

My heart sank.

"He is a very respectable man," Father offered, "Very rich, obviously..."

"He wants _you_, Isabella," Mother said, with an insulting amount of surprise, "We said yes, obviously."

"You've agreed, already?" I demanded, incredulously. "Without even consulting me?" My voice cracked on the last word as the injustice of it all filled me.

Father chuckled as though my shock was completely ludicrous. "Of course we did, Isabella. You aren't saying no?" His smile started to fade slightly when he realized that I didn't find this nearly as funny as he did.

"I am." I affirmed, getting up and glaring at them both.

_How could they?_

How could they fix my marriage to someone that they barely even knew? I would never marry a _pig_ like Jacob Black.

They could talk about marrying me off all they liked, but actually fixing my marriage to someone was crossing the line.

"Don't be ridiculous, Isabella." Mother said, dismissing my remark with a flick of her hand.

"Oh, Renée calm down," Father said, "Obviously she's joking."

My eyes flickered from my Mother to my Father in shock. "No, I am _not_ joking! I will not marry him!"

Father gaped at me while Mother snorted derisively.

"Of course you're marrying him!" She exclaimed, "This is absolutely ridiculous! You're actually refusing to marry a man as respectable as Jacob Black?"

"Respectable?" I laughed humorlessly, "That man is a pig!"

Mother gasped while Father simply stared at me in shock.

"You _will_ accept this proposal, Isabella!" Mother said forcefully, "It's certain that no one else will ever marry you with a filthy mouth like that!"

"I would rather remain unmarried my entire life than marry someone like him!" I cried, finally loosing it.

"Enough!" My Father thundered, getting up. It seemed he had finally lost it as well.

He glared at me, absolutely furious. Even my Mother retreated slightly.

"You _will _marry this man," He said, his voice low but holding the anger that was clearly reflected on his face, "You will stop acting like such a spoiled brat and accept his proposal gratefully. How much longer will you continue to be a burden on us?"

His question was obviously rhetorical and it stung harshly.

_A burden..._

I had never spent much time with my parents. I had been raised by Angela's Mother and knew more about my books than my parents.

I knew that they didn't care awfully much about me, but I never thought that they would regret having me like that.

A burden was all I was to them.

That's why they had been so eager to get me married to someone. And marrying me off to someone rich was just a bonus for them. It would help their reputation.

_'Two birds with one stone,'_ I recalled bitterly, hearing my mother's words echo in my head.

"A burden," I repeated quietly in to the silence of the room. I stared straight at my Father, "It seems I don't have much of a choice but to marry this man, do I?"

Father was taking deep breaths, slowly regaining his composure. It was Mother who answered me.

"No." She affirmed, her tone impassive.

"Fine," I took a deep breath, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my room now. After all, I wouldn't want to _burden_ you any longer." I shot bitterly at my Father.

I whirled on my heel and strode out of the room, not stopping to see their reaction to my words.

Tears built up in my eyes as I hurried as fast as I could through the corridors.

I tried desperately to push the tears back, but a few evaded me and slipped slowly down my cheeks.

I wiped them away roughly but more slid down my cheeks, taking their place.

They started to blur my vision and I slowly stopped walking. I was ridiculously clumsy on a normal day, blur my vision and there was no predicting what I would find to trip over.

I let myself cry silently in the quiet corridor. I walked over to the wall and leaned against the cool stone.

I sat down on the ground, bringing my knees up to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my legs and buried my face in my dress.

"They don't care about you, Isabella," I whispered to myself, "They never have."

"Well, I don't know who you're talking about, but I'm sure there's little truth to it." Said a very familiar masculine voice.

I lifted my head out of my arms to see none other than Uncle Alec standing in front of me with a broad smile on his face. Tall, strong, and cheerful Uncle Alec was easily my favorite person in the family. His brown hair had traces of gray spattered here and there, but he was still very handsome.

"Uncle Alec!" I exclaimed, scrambling to my feet and launching myself in to his arms.

He laughed loudly, hugging me tightly and spinning me around before gently setting me down on my feet.

He shook his head as he grinned down at me. "You get taller every time I see you."

I laughed with him, all of my sad thoughts from before disappearing at the sight of my favorite Uncle. "Maybe one day I'll be as tall as you!"

He ruffled my hair playfully. "Maybe." His eyes flickered across my face, taking in my bright cheeks and red eyes. He frowned. "Were you crying?"

I bit my lip and lowered my gaze. "No."

"Isabella, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

"Nothing." I replied quickly, wiping away any traces of my tears.

His eyes narrowed. "Have your parents been making you think about marriage again?" He demanded.

I sighed. "A little." I admitted.

Uncle Alec glared and shook his head angrily. "I'll be having a word with them. You're only eighteen!" He thundered, turning to storm off in the direction of my Father's chamber.

My eyes widened and I rushed forward to stop him. "Please, Uncle Alec, it doesn't matter." I insisted.

He stared at me for a couple seconds before sighing. "They have to learn when to let go." He grumbled, "You're far too young to be getting married."

I felt guilt flood me. He was my favorite Uncle who was so concerned about me, and here I was lying to him.

"They've already promised me to someone." I told him, quietly.

His eyes snapped back to mine. "What?" He cried incredulously, "_Who?_"

"Jacob Black." I said, letting the name roll of my tongue with a hint of disgust.

Uncle Alec was quiet for a long time, simply staring at me. He shook his head slowly. "Jacob Black," He muttered faintly, "And you do not like this man, correct?"

"Not at all." I said immediately, not being able to stop myself.

Uncle Alec smiled briefly before his expression turned pensive once more.

"Perhaps," He began slowly, "It's best that you give in just this once, Isabella."

My jaw dropped as I stared at him. "Give in?" I repeated, "I'm giving in my life! I'm giving it to someone I barely even know!"

"Isabella," Uncle Alec sighed, coming forward to rest his large hands on my shoulders, "I know. I do not think this is fair, nor do I approve in the least, but-"

"Then take me with you," I begged, interrupting him, "Take me with you on your adventures! After all, you care about me more than my parents ever could."

Uncle Alec chuckled, shaking his head. "You are just a child, Isabella. You do not understand everything about my little 'adventures'."

I frowned. "You said that they are wonderful."

"They are," He agreed, "But they're also very dangerous. As you said, I care about you very much. I would never put you in that kind of danger."

I sighed. "I don't want to get married to Jacob Black. Please, Uncle Alec..."

"I'm sorry, Isabella," He said, cupping my cheeks and wiping away my tears, "But I think it's better for you to just go along with it for now. I'll talk with your parents." He assured me as he leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "Okay?" He bent down slightly to catch my gaze. I nodded reluctantly. "Good. Now go get some sleep."

He shot me one last smile before striding in the direction of my Father's study.

I walked to my room, feeling worse than ever.

My last hope was Uncle Alec. But even _he_ had said no. I knew that he just wanted me to be safe, but I couldn't help the sorrow that welled up in me.

I opened the door and slowly walked in. I glanced up to see a very annoyed-looking Allison, tapping her foot impatiently.

Her head whipped up to look at me as I entered and she narrowed her eyes.

"How long am I supposed to wait for you, Isabella?" She demanded, hopping to her feet. "I mean seriously-" She stopped abruptly when she noticed the tear tracks on my face, "What happened?" She asked immediately, exchanging her annoyed tone for a concerned one.

"I'm getting married," I choked out, unable to meet her gaze, "To Jacob Black."

Allison's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "The man that danced with you so inappropriately at my parents ball?"

I nodded, collapsing on to the nearest chair and burying my face in my hands. "He asked for my hand in marriage, and my parents accepted," I looked up at Allison, "Without even asking me."

I shook my head and bit my lip.

_You will not cry again. Your face already looks like an overripe tomato._

"But," Allison said hesitantly, "They can't...can they?"

"They already have." I laughed humorlessly.

"Oh, Isabella." Allison said quietly, coming over to wrap her tiny arms around me tightly. "You know that you can always come over, right? We'll talk."

I nodded. Allison hesitated before speaking again. "I have to go, Bella," She said, "My parents will worry."

"Of course," I said immediately, letting go of her.

Allison shot me a sad smile and bade me goodbye before leaving quietly.

I got up and pulled at my braid, letting my hair fall around my shoulders once more. I didn't care what my mother said. I liked having it down.

I walked over to my bed and collapsed on top of it, rearranging the pillows behind me so that they cradled my head more comfortably.

I stared up at the ceiling, laying my hands across my stomach. I was still in shock over what had happened.

My parents had all but told me that they didn't care for me, and I was getting married to the lewdest man on the planet. Even Uncle Alec couldn't help me, which was a first. He always found some way to assist me.

I took a deep breath and let it go softly, allowing my tired eyes to shut.

As soon as darkness filled my sight, my imagination started running wild.

I started thinking of all the ways that I could possibly avoid this marriage.

All my life I had been forced in to a life that was constructed, not by me, but society. My choices were never mine and my life was run by my parents.

I imagined sneaking out at the dead of night and hiding away in a stranger's house in town like in some of my books.

I smiled at that thought.

I would cover myself up with a cloak and sneak out of the house while everyone was asleep. Once I was out of the gates of the manor I would run. I would run as fast as I could till I saw the lights of the town. I would seek refuge at a local inn and get a job and...

I froze when I realized I was no longer thinking of characters from a book, but myself.

I had inadvertently planned my escape from both my marriage and my strict life.

I bit my lip and opened my eyes.

Pushing myself up, I slowly leaned against the headboard of my bed.

Could it actually work? I knew that really escaping would be a lot more dangerous and complicated, but given the right circumstances...it could work.

"Ma'am?" I looked up, surprised to see Angela standing in front of me with a tray of food in her hands. She bit her lip. "You never ate your dinner," She said softly, "I thought I would bring something up for you."

I smiled gratefully at her as my stomach rumbled. "Thank you, Angela."

She nodded and placed the tray gently on the nightstand. She made to leave once more, but I called her name.

She turned back towards me. "Yes, ma'am?"

I exhaled, sitting up and crossing my legs underneath me. "I need to talk with you."

"Of course." She said immediately, approaching me.

"Sit." I told her, gesturing towards the bed. She sat down staring at me with a confused look on her face.

"I assume you have heard of my..." I grit my teeth, "Upcoming marriage?"

"Yes, ma'am."

I nodded. "Angela, I want to tell you this in utmost confidence, can you promise me...that...?" I trailed off, not knowing how to put it.

She stared at me, slightly hurt. "I would never tell your parents anything you did not want me to."

I immediately regretted my words. Angela was first and foremost my friend, and I didn't want her to think that I didn't trust her.

I scooted forwards slightly on the bed and placed my hand over hers. "I'm sorry, Angela. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that this is dangerous and I don't even know what I'm going to do..."

I knew that inside I had already decided that I _was_ going to run away. It was my rebellious nature rearing its ugly face once more. My Mother had always cursed me for it.

"Dangerous?" Angela repeated, more confused than ever.

"Angela," I said, lowering my voice slightly, "I'm planning to run away."

Silence filled the room as Angela's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Her lips formed a perfect 'o' that was almost comical.

"But, ma'am..."

"Angela, please support me on this," I begged, clutching her hand tightly, "I know that if there is anyone in this house that will help me, it is you."

She hesitated. "But how are you planning on running away?" She questioned, "How will you sneak out? Where will you stay? You do not even have money!"

I sighed as she voiced all the concerns that I had, but did not wish to acknowledge. "I don't know," I confessed, "I was hoping that you could help me on that."

Angela sighed. "This is suicide." She informed me.

I grinned and laughed lightly. "I have you on my side, don't I? I'm not afraid."

Angela returned my grin with a small smile of her own as she remembered our adventures when we were little.

We would play in the gardens, pretending we were pirates. Angela's brother who was quite a bit older than us claimed that he had seen one. The way he described him made it seem like he was the most fascinating man on the planet. Angela and I would sit on the grass for ages, simply contemplating what it would be like to go out on the ocean and meet '_an actual pirate'_!

My Mother couldn't comprehend why I wanted to spend all my time with a servant girl, but to me Angela was no servant.

"I will help you, of course I will help you." Angela told me quietly. Her eyes turned pleading as she looked up at me. "But I'm begging you to consider the consequences. You are so sheltered here, Isabella. Out there it's nothing like this. There are murderers, and kidnappers, and truly awful people. If you do not have money or shelter, it is likely that you will be dead before sunrise."

My head swam as I listened to everything she said. I knew that all she said was true, but somehow in my mind it didn't sway my decision one bit.

I had made my mind and nothing would change it.

I was possibly the most stupid girl on the planet.

"I know, Angela," I said, "But I promise you that I will be alright. If we plan this all of this out properly, I could be gone tonight and all will be well."

Angela sighed, but nodded. "I will help you." She said. She got up and opened my closet, searching inside for something. "You will need to disguise yourself," She called out, "You can not possibly go around with a dress like that. People will recognize you, and even if they don't they will probably kill you for your jewels."

I felt my heart pump loudly in my chest as Angela began planning out my escape. A wide grin settled on my face and I resisted the urge to bounce excitedly on the bed. It was all so new to me and the danger attached to my little adventure made the adrenaline run ferociously in my veins.

She came out with a tan-colored scarf that Uncle Alec had bought a long time ago. The color was conspicuous enough so that no one would give it a second thought, which was no doubt why Angela had chosen it.

She laid it gently on the bed and glanced around her, placing her hands on her hips. "I will need to get you some of my dresses," She nodded, "It is better that you leave disguised as a servant."

I nodded. "I won't possibly be able to leave through the front door, though. How else...?" I trailed off as Angela's eyes sparkled mischievously.

She hurried over to the balcony door and slowly pulled the latch, allowing the light breeze from outside fill the room.

My eyes widened as I got up to follow her outside in to the night. Angela walked over to the railing and leaned down to look at the wall below.

She brought herself back up with a satisfied smile. "The walls aren't too rough, and they are slightly layered. If we found a rope, I would be able to lower you down."

I grinned widely. "I think I can make a rope with some of my bed sheets. They're black, after all. They would blend in with the night. Why don't you go get the dress while I tie them together?"

Angela nodded and smiled at me. "I feel as though I am enjoying this way too much."

I laughed.

She left to go and grab her dress while I pulled off the sheets and the bedspread from my large king-sized bed.

I stretched them out, laying them on the ground before winding them up tightly. This took much longer than I had expected, with the sheets slipping from my grasp.

When I finally got them rolled up appropriately, Angela entered the room quietly, shutting the door behind her.

In her arms she held a dress identical to the one she wore, however this one was quite a bit more worn. She bit her lip as she placed it one her bed. "I thought it would be best for you to have a more weathered one...it's more conspicuous."

"Angela," I shook my head with a smile, "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I trust you."

She beamed proudly at me and dropped to her knees to help me tie the two sheets together tightly. This was incredibly important because if it wasn't tight enough I was likely to go falling to my death.

She got up and carefully observed the cloth that weaved it's way around my room. She nodded. "That should do." She glanced up at me. "I should tie your hair as well."

I nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed as she braided my hair carefully before tying it in to a tight bun.

"You should eat," She said, picking up my cup of soup and handing it to me, "You're going to need it."

I nodded and took small sips of the warm soup. "Angela," I frowned as I realized something, "We still don't know where I'm going to stay."

Angela nodded slowly. "I was thinking about that as well. I was going to suggest that...well..." She bit her lip, "Maybe you would like to stay with my family?"

I stared up at her, surprised.

"I mean," She immediately continued, "It's nothing like this house at all...quite small, actually...but for a place to sleep-"

"Angela," I interrupted. She snapped her mouth shut and gazed at me anxiously, "Thank you so much for the offer. I would love nothing more than to stay with your family. It's been a while since I've seen your Mother."

I smiled gratefully at her. She blushed and nodded. "Well, that's settled then." She said, avoiding my gaze. She placed my empty soup bowl on the tray and picked it up. "I'll return this to the kitchens while you change your dress. It's quite late, and your Mother has already retired. Your Father is in his study with Uncle Alec, so no one will know. This is the perfect time."

I nodded, feeling the adrenaline fill my veins once more. Angela left, shutting the door behind her with a small click.

I got up and shed my dress quickly. I picked up the worn dress that Angela had given and slid it over myself, adjusting it so that it fit comfortably over my body.

I walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room and observed myself curiously.

It was slightly unnerving to see myself like this: my hair pulled back in a bun, dressed in this dress.

My Mother had always made sure that I was dressed in the finest clothing and she would have probably fainted if she had seen me in this.

I, however, found it strangely liberating.

I smiled at myself in the mirror, my brown eyes sparkling back at me excitedly.

I smoothed my hands down my dress and picked up the tan scarf that Angela had taken from my closet.

I wrapped it around my neck and up to cover the lower half of my face.

I raised my gaze to stare at the mirror and was shocked my what I saw.

I, of course, knew it was me but only because the eyes looking back at me were the ones I saw everyday when I glanced in the mirror. Otherwise, I knew that no one would be able to tell who I was.

I would be just another servant.

When Angela came back she grinned widely at my appearance. "No one will know." She said, excitedly. "Well, let's not wait any longer."

Saying this, she grabbed the bed sheets that we had tied together and bunched them up in her arms, carrying them out to the balcony. I followed her, growing more and more nervous as the time passed.

Angela stopped in front of the railing and turned to me, biting her lip.

I furrowed my brows at her sudden change in mood. "What's wrong, Angela?"

Angela sighed. "You've always been my friend, Isabella," She said quietly, "I will miss you."

"Oh, Angela..." I strode quickly to her and wrapped my arms around her thin frame. "I will miss you too. Dearly." I tucked my head in to the crook of her neck. "But I will be back. You will visit me one day." I promised her with a smile. "And when you do I'll have a job and my own house."

I could feel anticipation building up in me at the mere thought of that.

"Yes, I will." Angela smiled as she pulled away from me. She stepped back and leaned over the railing to make sure no one was there before throwing down the sheets.

They hung above the grass, barely grazing the tips. I smiled. The bed sheets were the perfect length.

Angela took the other end of the bed sheets and fastened it tightly to the railing, grabbing it firmly with her hands just in case.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "This is it," I said softly.

Angela glanced up at me. "Be careful." She whispered, grasping my hand quickly to give it a squeeze.

I smiled nervously and gathered up my dress in one hand. I clutched the railing and slowly raised one foot over it. The dress stretched slightly, but held as I brought my other foot over as well.

Grabbing the bed sheets tightly, I glanced down. My heart thumped loudly when I realized how far down the grass was.

"The sheets will hold," Angela assured softly. I nodded and wrapped the bed sheets around both my wrists.

I placed my feet just below the railing on the wall and inched down slowly, never letting my grip on the bed sheets loosen.

I focused on breathing normally and before I knew it, I was mere feet away from the ground. I slid the rest of the way and hopped on to the soft grass.

A wide grin spread across my face when I realized I had done it.

Angela clapped excitedly above me. "Go!" She urged, "Before any of them see you!"

I nodded and hurried along the side of the house, staying close to the wall.

I was almost at the final stretch before the gate when I heard loud footsteps echoing behind a door to my right.

My eyes widened and I stopped abruptly.

The footsteps grew closer and I heard the door open. Acting quickly, I retreated, hurrying to crouch behind a bush.

My heart felt as though it was about to pound right out of my chest and I worried that I would be caught if I so much as breathed too deeply.

I nervously leaned to the side so that I could see what was happening.

A tall figure walked out slowly in to the darkness. Even from here, I could realize that it was Uncle Alec.

He sighed heavily and shook his head, pressing the tips of his fingers to his temple.

I frowned. He looked as though he had the worries of the world upon his shoulders.

His eyes browsed the night sky as he placed his hands on his hips. His eyes landed on the bush that I was crouching behind and his eyes narrowed.

_Oh no! He knows!_

"Alec?" I heard my Father's voice boom from inside the house. Uncle Alec's eyes slowly tore themselves away from where I was hidden.

My Father came out and clapped him on the back. "What are you doing out here? Out for a stroll in the night?" He chuckled lightly.

Uncle Alec smiled tightly and said something in response that I couldn't hear.

"Well, you better come in," He glanced around himself, "It's starting to get chilly."

I held my breath as Uncle Alec nodded. His eyes flickered towards the bush that was covering me briefly before following my Father back inside.

I sighed in relief, making sure that no one else was out before getting up and hurrying towards the gate.

I opened it, careful not to make too much noise. I took one last look at my home for the past eighteen years.

It was incredibly intimidating, large and looming over me. I shook my head and faced the gate once more.

As soon as the gate was wide enough for me to squeeze through, I hurried out and ran as fast as I could down the road.

The wind rushed through my hair, stinging against my cheeks as I sprinted hard.

I didn't stop. I just kept running just like I had imagined.

When I finally couldn't keep running and my lungs were begging me to slow down, I came to a stop.

I panted heavily as I leaned my hands against my thighs. I turned to look down the street and smiled widely when I realized that my house was no longer in sight.

I laughed gleefully.

_I was free! _

I wasn't going to marry Mr. Black and I was _free_!

I sighed happily.

From now on I was going to live my life on my own terms.

My life was finally my own.

**AN: Hi guys! So if you've been reading my other story Mio Cuore you'll know that I promised a one-shot, but I'm currently experiencing serious writers-block with that one. But this was a plot bunny that I just had to get down on paper.**

**This is going to be another multi-chapter fic and yes, there will be lemons. ;)**

**So...what do you think? Yes? No?**

**Leave me a review to tell me if I should continue it or not. :)**

**M-J**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

**BPOV:**

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself tightly as I walked down the raucous streets.

Everywhere I looked there were men stumbling around drunkenly and women laughing in high-pitched voices.

I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible.

The night was growing darker and colder as I walked and the hair on the back of my neck was standing straight up.

I was in the nearest town, now far away from my parent's manor. Angela's family lived nearby and I was going to their house.

I hoped her Mother would recognize me.

I frowned worriedly. What if she didn't? What if she didn't want to let me in her home?

I shook off these worries, trying to concentrate on the present.

I had found out soon that if I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, it made me less obvious to the lewd men roaming around the streets at this hour.

I took a deep breath, ignoring the chills that were running up my arms and focused on getting to Angela's house.

All around me were small pubs and the occasional restaurant or house. Lights were hanging bright around the streets. It would have looked beautiful and festive if there weren't people shouting out obscenities and men and woman acting very inappropriately on the streets.

I blinked furiously and averted my gaze as I accidentally spotted a man shoving a woman against the wall of a building and kissing her neck languidly. Outside the pubs were men laughing loudly, with giant mugs in their hands; full with rum, no doubt.

There was a loud jubilant cry to my left and I made the mistake of looking up. The man who had uttered the cry leered at me as I passed him. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a brutish looking face and a large protruding stomach.

"Hey there, sweetheart. You lost?" The man called out to me.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you." I stuttered, glancing fearfully at him as he approached me. He swayed drunkenly and boomed out a laugh as a bunch of men behind him catcalled, shooting me lecherous winks.

My eyes widened at the impropriety of it all.

He took a step forward as though he were about to approach me, but before he could get any closer a tall blonde woman stepped in between us.

"Hello there, Trevor," She purred to the man as she trailed her finger slowly up his chest, "How about you leave this _child_," She sneered at me over her shoulder, "Alone and spend some time with a woman?"

The man's - Trevor's - eyes darkened as his eyes roamed up and down the scantily clad woman.

I stood frozen and wide-eyed at the scene playing out in front of me. I wasn't sure I could run even if I tried.

"Maybe some other time, darling," Trevor drawled, tracing slow circles on the girl's waist, "I better be getting back to the wife!" He winked and the men behind him laughed uproariously.

The woman kept up her seductive smile as Trevor let go and slowly stumbled down the street. The minute he disappeared around the street corner the woman spun around to face me.

My eyes widened. I expected her to have missing teeth and a lazy eye, but the face that actually met my eyes was exceptionally beautiful. The woman had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes that were currently narrowed in to a glare.

"What were you thinking?" She exclaimed in an accent unfamiliar to me.

"I-I-I'm sorry," I choked out, not quite knowing what I was apologizing for.

She rolled her eyes and glanced around us quickly, before grabbing my arm in a tight grip and pulling me down the street.

I gasped and shrieked softly as she ran through the crowd of people, weaving expertly between them while dragging me behind her.

The wind slapped against our faces as she pulled me in to a small pub. The small pub was somehow even noisier than outside. Perhaps because it seemed to be filled with far more people than it should have been.

There was a counter in the middle of the floor where people were shouting for more drinks while a flustered man hurried to hand them mugs filled to the brim with a bright, amber liquid.

I squealed and jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the rum that spilled from a man's mug.

"Watch it!" The blonde glared at the man as she pulled me off to the side.

"What-where are you taking me?" I asked the woman, growing incredibly nervous.

_Was this even real?_ I wondered vaguely as the beautiful blonde ignored my question and tugged me through the throng of people - which was no easy feat.

She pulled me along until we reached a small hallway which was significantly less crowded and riotous.

She glanced around before shoving open a small door at the end of the hallway and pushing me inside.

The room was fairly large with several beds pushed up against the wall. The walls were a warm cream color and there was a cluttered desk pushed off to the side. I saw all of this, but absorbed little as I stood frozen in shock.

The blonde sighed and leaned against the door, wiping invisible beads of sweat from her forehead. "Busiest it's ever been..." She muttered to herself, "Where did I put that damn hairbrush?"

I gaped at her as she walked over to the desk and shuffled things around, ignoring the items that fell to the ground with loud thumps.

"Excuse me?" I said tentatively as she pulled a ratty old hairbrush from the pile of objects with a satisfied smile.

She turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "It's Rosalie Hale. Call me by my name or don't call me at all."

My eyes widened at her brusque tone. "I-I'm sorry." I said immediately.

She chuckled at me as she walked over to the mirror that was hanging on the wall. "You apologize too much. Don't. It'll get you nowhere." "I'm sor-," I stopped abruptly when I realized that I was about to apologize for apologizing.

Rosalie rolled her eyes at me from the mirror. She gently pulled the brush through her golden hair, laying the smoothened strands down carefully against her shoulder.

"You got a name?" She asked, casually.

I paused for a minute, contemplating whether I should give my name to her or not. "Isabella." I said, hesitantly.

Rosalie nodded. "Isabella," She said slowly as though testing it out, "A bit long, don't you think?"

I took a deep breath, and readied myself for another attempt. "Rosalie, I don't mean to be rude, but why have you brought me here?"

Rosalie crinkled her nose in the mirror. "Did you really expect me to leave you back there with Trevor 'Grabby-Hands' Hoffman?" She shook her head, "Innocent little girl like you...he would have eaten you alive, wife or no wife."

I frowned. Something that she had said made me cringe inside. "Innocent?" I repeated softly.

I wasn't innocent. I knew about a lot of things! I was even well educated in..._sex_. I felt heat rise to my face as I thought of the horrible conversation that I had been forced to endure from my Mother.

Rosalie sighed and set her hair brush down on the desk once more before she turned to face me. "Of course you're innocent. You keep your eyes on the ground, you have that lost puppy look on your face, and you cringe every time a man comes near you."

"Only because they're too drunk to see straight!" I said loudly, defending myself.

Rosalie's eyes widened at my outburst before her face cracked in to the first genuine smile that I had seen since I had met her. "There may be hope for you yet." She grinned.

I blushed immediately and Rosalie winced. "Please don't ruin it."

"I'm sor-," I began on impulse, but I stopped myself. I sighed as Rosalie chuckled.

"I was right. You wouldn't have survived a minute out there."

She walked over to me and furrowed her brow as she took in my ratty dress and the scarf that was now hanging low on my neck.

"What's up with this getup anyway?" She asked, her eyebrows raised.

I tugged at my scarf self-consciously. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Rosalie laughed. "Don't take this the wrong way honey, but you're never going to get customers with a neckline that high."

I frowned, confused. "Customers?" I repeated.

Rosalie glanced up at me, surprised. "Yes..." She said slowly, her eyes observing me curiously, "You're new aren't you?"

"New to what?"

I was getting more confused by the second.

"Wait-," Rosalie stared at me, "You're _not_ here to...well, be a wench?"

I gasped, incredibly offended.

She thought I was...going to be with strange men for _money_?

"Certainly not!" I cried.

"Sorry, sorry!" Rosalie winced, "I just...assumed, you know. You don't look like you're exactly...rich," She shot me an apologetic look, "And you know, a pretty young girl like you, being a wench would be an easy way to get some cash."

I felt my face heat up in both embarrassment and indignation.

"Are...you?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to say anything against being a wench if she was one. The last thing I wanted to do was offend the woman in front of me.

Something told me that she wouldn't take lightly to that.

Rosalie snorted. "Of course not."

I frowned. "But you...with that man..."

"That was only to get him away from you. I'd sooner cut all of my hair off before I sold my body to pigs like him."

I felt a smile creep on to my face.

She was completely right, and it somehow validated the reason I had run away from home. It reassured me that I was doing the right thing.

"What do you do? If you don't mind me asking, of course." I added hastily. I didn't want her to think that I was prying.

"I'm a waitress here." She said casually picking at the ends of her golden locks. "So why are_ you_ here? You know, if not to be a wench." She asked curiously, sitting on the edge of the bed.

_Oh, no._

What was I going to say?

"I'm here to visit a friend," I said finally. I figured it was safe to say that much. "I'm a little bit lost, actually. Could you please show me the way?"

Rosalie glanced at the large clock on the wall before nodding. "I still have a little time before my shift comes up," She glanced at me, "How far away is this place? Do you have the address?"

I nodded and told her the address just as I remembered Angela telling me it.

"Not too far," She informed me, nodding, "Come on, then." She got up and opened the door, glancing at me expectantly.

I quickly followed her out the door and back through the pub. The noise level was now cringe-worthy and made me shrink in to Rosalie's side.

When we were back outside, I took a large breath, relishing in the smell of not alcohol, but fresh air. We were farther away from the chaos that I had walked in to, so we were able to walk more easily through the far less crowded streets.

Rosalie led me through the streets, her strides long and confident while mine were hurried and awkward.

"It was pretty stupid of you," Rosalie suddenly commented. Rather bluntly, I might add.

"What was stupid of me?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"Coming out here during this time of night. Alone, too."

"You were alone." I pointed out.

"Yes, but at least I know how to kick a man to the curb when they don't know how to take 'no' for an answer." Rosalie said dryly, "You, on the other hand, don't look like you could hurt a fly."

"It's not a bad thing." I scowled.

It was very nice of Rosalie to assist me when I was in danger, but right now she was being rather condescending.

"Yeah, but still..." She said, effectively dismissing the conversation. "Well, this is it."

She stopped and turned to the left, eyeing a fairly large house up and down.

I turned, surprised. I guess I was so wrapped up in her insults that I had forgotten to look at the surroundings.

The lights in the house were surprisingly still on, and movement through a window on the right told me that someone was still up.

I sighed in relief. I really didn't want to have to wake anyone up. Certainly not those who were helping me and giving me a place to stay.

I smiled, and turned to Rosalie who was still eyeing the place with a raised eyebrow. "You're staying with the Webber's?"

"Yes," I confirmed and Rosalie nodded.

"They're good people."

I resisted the urge to grin. The tone which she used when saying that, made me feel as though she were almost..._protective _of me.

It caused a warm sensation to fill me to think that this near-stranger could care about me like that.

_More than my parents_.

I pushed away these bitter thoughts and smiled gratefully at Rosalie. "Thank you for everything. For helping me find their house and for saving me from that man in the streets. I really don't know how to repay you."

Rosalie shook her head and smiled back at me. "Just stay out of trouble."

She turned on her heel and starting strutting down the streets once more, heading back to the pub.

I watched until the darkness enveloped her. I turned to the house and walked steadily towards the door.

All my previous concerns resurfaced now that I was standing in front of their house.

I forced myself to take a deep breath.

Angela's parents were some of the nicest people I knew. I was certain that they wouldn't turn me away.

Angela certainly wouldn't have sent me here if she had thought that they would.

I lifted my hand and knocked hesitantly on the door.

I heard some rustling inside and footsteps approach the door.

The door cracked open slightly and a plump woman's face that I instantly recognized as Mrs. Webber's appeared in the small space.

"Who is it?" She called. Her naturally welcoming voice was tinged with a tiny bit of apprehension.

"Mrs. Webber?" I said softly, "It's me, Isabella. Isabella Swan."

Mrs. Webber's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Isabella?" She said in a slightly awed voice.

I smiled in relief, thankful that she remembered me. I reached up and tugged at the tight bun that Angela had put my hair in. My hair fell down around my face and I pulled the scarf off from around my neck. "It's me, Mrs. Webber."

~•~

"It's so good to see you, dear." Mrs. Webber said with a warm smile as she handed me a steaming cup of tea. "I can't believe that you're actually here!"

She cupped my cheeks tightly and placed a smacking kiss on my forehead.

Mrs. Webber was a plump woman with wild brown hair that was always braided carefully to one side. Her eyes made the steely color of gray warm and comforting and her motherly aura made sure that no one could hate her.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Mrs. Webber." I grinned up at her. Once again a shining example of how it seemed almost everyone cared more about me than my parents.

She patted me lovingly on the shoulder. "I should go wake up Eric. Do you remember him? He always used to tease you and Angela." She recalled fondly.

"Of course I remember him."

Mrs. Webber clapped her hands excitedly before bustling out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

And I did remember Eric. Some of my most fond memories involved Angela and I sitting in the grass while her brother told us fantastical stories of pirates and Kings and Queens.

I grinned as I heard excited conversation upstairs before the stairs creaked, indicating that Mrs. Webber was making her way back.

She hurried in to the kitchen and pulled out the chair next to me to sit down. Her eyes were bright with happiness.

Mrs. Webber had always been like a Mother to me, as she had been the one to take care of me for most of my childhood. To see her again after all these years was absolutely amazing.

"He's just getting dressed. It's such an exciting night, isn't it?" She said, covering my hand with hers.

"It is." I agreed.

"Did I tell you?" Mrs. Webber asked, "We had another baby!"

My jaw dropped. "Another baby?" I asked, incredulously. Including Angela, she had birthed three children. Now she was telling me she had a fourth? I couldn't imagine how she managed.

Mrs. Webber nodded excitedly. "Little Annie. I would introduce you, but she's sleeping right now. It's impossible to put her to sleep when she wakes up."

"That's okay," I smiled, "How is Samantha?" I asked, referring to Angela's little sister that would be almost eight by now.

"As active as ever," Mrs. Webber informed with a grin, "She's off with her Father. He allowed her to come with him on his trip. Not that I approved, of course. With all that energy, she's likely to fall off the ship."

Mr. Webber was a fisherman, but he rarely traded around here. He often went to other lands to trade what he caught. That way he could bring back spices and other items that would sell for much more than their worth back here.

I laughed at Mrs. Webber's remark.

"Well, look who it is. Little Isabella all grown up." I turned to see a tall brown-haired man with a wide grin on his face.

"Eric!" I exclaimed, rushing to greet him. I threw my arms around his neck and he laughed heartily, lifting me up to twirl me around.

Aside from all the teasing I had endured from him, he had always been the brother I had wanted. He was incredibly protective of Angela and I and never allowed anyone but himself to tease us.

"Not the little girl with pigtails anymore, are you?" He quipped with a smile.

"She's grown in to a real beauty," Mrs. Webber agreed smiling. She pinched my cheek lovingly.

I blushed at all the attention and Eric laughed again.

"One thing that will never change, I suspect." He smirked.

I scowled and my arm shot out to punch him lightly on the arm. He jumped to avoid being hit at the last second.

"Sit down, sit down," Mrs. Webber urged pushing me back in my seat. "It seems we have a lot to talk about."

Eric sat down across from me and nodded. "Why are you here? Not that it's not a pleasant surprise, but I assure you our little town is much more pleasant in the light of day."

"Something I soon figured out." I remarked, dryly. I still remembered the God-awful smell of that man's breath.

Eric immediately stiffened and he frowned protectively. "Did someone hurt you?" He asked in a low voice.

"No." I shook my head, "A woman named Rosalie Hale helped me out."

"Oh, you've met Rosalie?" Mrs. Webber asked, looking pleased, "She's a very nice young woman."

I smiled. "She said that you all were very nice people as well."

Mrs. Webber laughed. "Always such a polite girl."

I raised an eyebrow, but kept my mouth shut. From what I'd seen of Rosalie, she was very nice, but certainly didn't come off as a _polite_ lady.

"You didn't answer my question," Eric reminded me, "What are you doing here, Isabella? I _know_ that your parents wouldn't have let you out this far. Especially not alone and at this time of night."

I sighed and nodded, preparing myself to tell them what was going on. I knew that they would never approve of the fact that I ran away from home.

But I needed to make them understand _why_.

"I...ran away from home tonight." I said quietly.

Silence met my statement. Eric and Mrs. Webber both stared at me, frozen in shock. Their mouths were slightly open and I fidgeted as I waited anxiously for one of them to say something.

"You're joking, right?" Eric finally said, though his face indicated that he knew very well that I was _not_ joking.

"No."

"Isabella," Mrs. Webber said slowly, "Why in the world would you do something like that? Your parents must be out of their mind with worry right about now!"

I scoffed. "The only thing they'd be worried about is what they should wear to the Gala."

"Isabella!" Mrs. Webber gasped, "That's definitely not true!"

"They said that I was a burden!" I cried, unable to stop myself, "They said I was a burden and they fixed my marriage to Jacob Black!"

Eric gaped at me and Mrs. Webber looked shocked. "They called you a burden?" Mrs. Webber asked, softly.

I nodded, feeling the same sinking feeling I had felt when my Father had first said it.

Eric shook their head. "Completely ridiculous." He muttered, shaking his head.

Mrs. Webber glanced at Eric and shook her head as well. "He's right. That is the opposite of what's true. You're never a burden on _us_, Isabella."

I took a deep breath and smiled at the sincerity I heard in her voice. "That's why I've come here," I said, "I couldn't bear one more one more minute inside that awful place."

Mrs. Webber frowned. "But what you've done is terribly dangerous, Isabella," She hesitated, "I'm not sure if I approve of this."

"Mum, come on," Eric said scowling, "We can't possibly let her go back there."

Mrs. Webber sighed. "I know." She glanced up at me, "Very well. You know that we will always be here for you. You can take Samantha's room for tonight. We'll need to think about fixing a separate room for you once Samantha comes back, though." She sorted, already getting up and gathering my empty mug in her hands.

"Thank you so much." I said sincerely, grabbing her hand. "I will be out of your hair soon, I promise. I will get a job and the moment I earn enough money I will buy my own house."

Mrs. Webber waved off my assurances. "You're always welcome here, Isabella. Always." She reassured me, smiling. She bustled off upstairs to prepare Samantha's room.

I turned to Eric. He was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"I always knew you were a wild one. Never one to be held back, were you?" He asked me.

I smiled and shrugged. "I guess not."

"I don't know whether to hug you for being so brave, or to berate you for being so reckless."

"Given an option, I'd go with the former."

Eric laughed and pulled me in to a tight hug. "It's nice to have you back, Isabella. Tomorrow I'll show you our town in a far better light than you must have seen tonight."

~•~

"We need to get a lot of vegetables for Mum," Eric informed me as he plucked the best-looking potatoes from the bunch and placing it in a small bag, "She loves to feed us until we won't be able to eat for another week."

I laughed. "Yet, you still eat the next day." I pointed out.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Can't you just agree with me?"

I shook my head at him. I knew the day was going to be wonderful from the minute I had woken up.

The bed had been comfortable and cozy, with sunlight filtering in from the window and warming my face. During breakfast, I remembered just how amazing of a cook Mrs. Webber was. I could still feel my mouth watering at the thought of her warm toast with homemade jam.

After breakfast, she gave Eric a list of supplies she needed from the market in town and I had volunteered to accompany him.

"You _did_ promise to show me the town," I had pointed out to him.

So I ended up accompanying Eric to the crowded market. Though it was as crowded as the streets were last night, the environment was much more friendly and I felt much safer.

"Why don't you go take a look at the other stalls while I pay for this?" Eric suggested, nudging me in the direction of a little trinket shop I had been eyeing.

I shot him a smile and weaved my way through the crowd.

I glanced along the walls of some buildings and saw several posters tacked up on them.

I frowned and moved myself closer to the posters to read what they said.

There were several sketched pictures that stared down at me from different posters. However, one in particular caught my eye.

The poster featured a man with medium-length hair that was wild, yet somehow tamed around his head. Sharp eyes stared out from the poster, narrowed in a powerful glare. His jaw was sharp and one of the most defined I had ever seen.

I wasn't sure why this man stood out so much amongst the others, other than the fact that he was clearly an attractive man.

"Handsome, isn't he?" A red-haired woman from the stall next to me remarked. I glanced at her and smiled politely and nodded. She chuckled and shook her head. "Pity he's a pirate."

"A _pirate_?" I repeated, my head whipping back to the poster to read what was written on it.

_Edward Cullen. Wanted._ The bold red heading on top of the poster caught my eye immediately this time and I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before.

"Yes, a pirate," The lady from the stall went on, "One of the worst, too. Killed his own Father, you know?"

I gaped at the lady. "He killed his own Father? Why?"

The lady shrugged. "Who knows? The guards have been after him for years."

I frowned. "How has he managed to avoid the guards for so long?"

The lady shrugged again. "He's a pirate. The King himself couldn't find him if he tried. It's like trying to spot a white rose in a snowstorm. They know how to hide themselves."

"Edward Cullen..." I repeated the name of the pirate in wonder, "He has been seen though, hasn't he? How else would they have drawn this picture?"

"They've seen him," The lady confirmed, "He's been noticed coming in to port a couple times, but no one dares approach him and he's too fast for the guards. It's been months since he came to this port, though."

"Gossiping again, Jennifer?" I heard Eric's amused voice from behind me. He rolled his eyes at me as he moved to stand beside me.

Jennifer scowled at him. "It's not gossip if it's true."

"Quit scaring her." Eric scolded, grabbing my arm gently and pulling me away and back in to the crowd.

I tried to keep my gaze forward, but my eyes kept straying back to the poster of the handsome man.

_Pirate_, I corrected myself, _he's a pirate._

Pirates aren't men.

_"Killed his own Father, you know?"_ I heard Jennifer's voice echo inside my head. Who would do that?

My Father had called me a burden, but I would still go to him if he needed assistance.

What kind of heartless man would kill his own Father as though it were nothing?

"Isabella!" Eric called. I snapped my eyes forward to see him waving his hand in front of my eyes. He straightened up with an amused smile playing on his lips. "Where were you? I was calling your name for ages."

"Just thinking..." I said vaguely.

Eric frowned at me. "You were thinking about that pirate that Jennifer told you about, weren't you?"

I sighed and nodded. "I was just remembering. You know that time that you told Angela and I about that pirate that you saw?"

Eric nodded.

"Well, the way you described him," I sighed, "You made him seem so powerful and so incredible. But the way Jennifer described that other pirate - Edward Cullen - she made him sound like a ruthless monster! I'm just...confused, I suppose."

Eric eyed me for a few seconds. "Would you mind making a little stop somewhere before we go back?" He asked slowly. "I'd like to show you something."

"Of course." I said, immediately eager to see what he had to show me.

He nodded and pulled me through the crowds. We walked in silence for a long time until we reached the docks.

The waves that the sea made were loud in my ears and were somehow comforting. The sun was still bright in the sky, reflecting off the rippling water and there were boats tethered here and there. It was very beautiful.

Eric led me over to a wooden pavement beside the dock. He walked for a little while before stopping abruptly and turning around to face me.

The turn was so sudden that I nearly ran in to his chest.

His arms reached out to steady me and he shot me an apologetic look.

"This is it." He said, spreading his arms out.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Sometimes I get a feeling that you say that just so that I can ask what you mean."

He chuckled. "Well, you certainly have me more figured out than you did back then." He commented with a grin.

I laughed. "What is it?"

He glanced down and pointed at a bronze stain on the wood of the dock. "You see that?"

I nodded and shot him a curious glance. "What about it?"

I didn't see anything particularly interesting about it. It was just a stain. Probably from fish or something.

"I was here a couple years ago, helping my Father bring back some of the merchandise he had bought," Eric told me, "And a couple pirates ran by us. They were being chased by the guards. One guard almost caught one of the pirates. They both pulled out their swords and began to fight. The guard was clearly better than the man. He knocked the sword out of the man's hand and was about to cuff him. But pirates don't play fair." He shook his head, "He pulled the gun out of the guards belt when he wasn't paying attention and shot him right between the eyes before he could do anything else."

I gaped at him, once again shocked by the cruelty of the pirates I had once been fascinated by.

"He didn't stop there," Eric went on, "He shot the other guards right then and there, too."

"He got away?" I whispered. Eric nodded.

"That's when I realized that pirates aren't the people we used to think they were." Eric told me, leaning against the wooden railing. "Nothing and no one is. You dreamed of escaping from home, Isabella. But what was the first thing that happened once you stepped foot in our town?"

I was silent. I didn't know what to say.

Eric went on, ignoring my silence. "You were ambushed by a bunch of lecherous men, far worse than those at your little Galas. The dreams we had as children are just that. Dreams. To think that they're anything more is foolish and that's a fact that you best learn fast, Isabella. It's a dangerous world and you won't survive if you think the best of everyone and don't fight to live."

I kept silent, still not knowing how to respond to what he had just said.

He was right, of course.

He had voiced what had been in the back of my mind since Jennifer had started telling me about that pirate.

I had been incredibly foolish to think that things would actually be _better_ outside of my home with my parents. But somehow, out here even though it was dangerous I felt safer.

I felt safer because _I_ had control over my life. I wasn't planning on going back anytime soon.

I wouldn't, I thought defiantly.

"I'm not going back," I informed Eric with a stubborn glare, "If your story was an attempt to get me to go back, it won't work. I'm not going back there."

Eric smiled wryly. "I didn't think you would. You're far too stubborn for that."

I smiled and laughed softly with him.

"Let's get back home. Mum will be wondering where we are."

I allowed him to lead us back the way we had come from.

As we passed by the posters of the pirates, I hesitated.

Without conscious thought of what I was doing, I plucked the poster of the man I had been looking at before and tucked it inside the pocket of my dress.

~•~

**EPOV:**

_Drip._

_ Drip._

_ Drip._

The water that was hanging from my hair fell to the floor with small splashes as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes stayed fixed on my eyes.

I fucking hated my eyes.

Bright emerald green, they embodied everything I hated and all the worst parts of my childhood.

"Edward?" I heard Alice's voice call from the door. I turned to face her.

Tinier than one should be, with dark hair cut to her shoulder and a personality that was far bigger than her frame, Alice Brandon was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Her gray eyes sparkled as she observed me curiously. "You've been up here for ages. Don't you want dinner?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes." I told her quietly.

She rolled her eyes. "Quit brooding and get down here!" She said, before shutting the door behind her.

I shook my head as she left.

She was the only one who could ever talk to me that way and not get some serious shit from me for it.

Perhaps because I had known Alice my entire life and she was almost a sisterly figure for me.

I glanced one more time in the mirror before accepting Alice's advice not to brood and throwing on a shirt.

I tucked the shirt in to my breeches and flattened my hair with my hand.

I made my way out of the room and down to the galley where everyone was seated, eating and drinking.

I rolled my eyes as they all laughed heartily. They always looked incredibly happy during mealtimes despite the fact that the food that the cook dished out on this ship wouldn't be fit for a rat.

I made myself a mental note to tell the cook to get better ingredients next time we docked.

I made my way over to the table in the far corner where my first and second mate, Jasper and Emmett sat with Alice.

"Captain!" Emmett roared, already drunk, "Have yourself a drink!" He thrust a mug full of rum at me.

I rolled my eyes at him and took the mug only to place it as far away from me on the table as I could.

I had nothing against rum, but I had a strict policy not to drink when my first and second mate were clearly not going to be in any position to run the ship on their own.

Jasper had his arm wrapped around Alice, eyeing her lovingly.

I felt disgusted at the sight.

I was happy for my friend, of course, but it still disgusted me to some extent.

"We still need supplies, Edward," Jasper reminded me, his blonde hair falling in to his eyes as he finally extracted his eyes from Alice, "We're running low and Emmett is going in to withdrawal."

I glanced at Emmett with a raised eyebrow and he laughed loudly. "A man can't be a man if he goes too long without sex."

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him. "It's been a month, Emmett. That's not that long."

"Are you joking? That's _far_ too long!" He cried, looking appalled. Big and burly with curly brown hair, Emmett could intimidate even the bravest men. But inside all of that muscle was just a huge over-active puppy.

However, that didn't mean that he couldn't get serious when he wanted to. When fighting, Emmett clearly embodied the intimidating persona that most people saw.

"We'll dock soon." I told Jasper. "Where's the nearest Port?"

Jasper's eyes flickered uneasily. "I don't think you want to go there. There're a bunch of posters of you and guards are swarming all over the place."

I smirked. "What's life without a little risk?"

I grabbed the bowl of God-knows-what and got up. "Make for the port." I ordered as I got up and made my way outside on to the deck.

Cool air blew across my face as I leaned against one of the railings. I held my breath as I shoveled the disgusting gruel in to my mouth.

I found that if I didn't breathe while eating it, I often couldn't taste it, either.

I stared out at the still waters laid out before me.

Going in to that port was going to be risky, alright. But I had some unfinished business there.

And as I told Jasper not long ago, what's life without a little risk?

**AN: Thanks to all of you who are still reading! It's great to know that people actually enjoy all of the crazy things that my mind comes up with.**

**Special thanks to all of you who reviewed! You really made my day: Carlaisabel, TWILIGHTnmECLIPSEbd911, KhristenHartgrove, GabzR, LuckiLuci, m0t0b33, ADADancer, sujari6, and takada87**

**Just reminding you guys that I can't respond to your wonderful reviews if you have your PM feature turned off! :( **

**Anyways, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next update! ;)**

**M-J**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**BPOV:**

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Mrs. Webber?" I asked as I hesitated by the table.

We had just finished eating dinner and Mrs. Webber was incredibly adamant not to let me help her clean up.

Mrs. Webber smiled and laughed quietly.

"Yes, Isabella. I am sure. Guests don't work when they're staying with us. Why don't you go on up to bed? Eric will help me out here."

Eric groaned loudly, slumping back in his chair. "Aw, mum," He grumbled, "But I fetched the groceries for you!"

"You could take some lessons from her." Mrs. Webber scolded, pointing at me, "And sit up, Eric. I swear, it's as though you have no manners at all."

With that, Mrs. Webber gathered the dishes in her arms and headed back to the kitchen.

Eric shot me an exasperated look before following his Mother to the kitchen.

I bit my lip so that I wouldn't laugh at their antics.

Their relationship was so..._casual_. It was so natural and easy. It was what I had yearned so badly to have with my own parents.

I walked in to the living room and saw little Annie resting on the couch cradled in blankets.

I smiled and walked over to her, picking her up gently in my arms. I sat down, enjoying her warmth as I held her close to my chest.

Annie was about one and-a-half years old and had just begun saying small words much to Mrs. Webber's delight.

She had blonde hair and beautiful gray eyes that reminded me very much of her Mother.

Right now those eyes were staring up at me with a childish innocence.

"Hello there, Annie," I whispered kissing her round cheeks lightly, "I'm Isabella. Can you say Isabella?"

She simply gurgled and raised her chubby hand up to my face, patting my cheeks. She grinned toothlessly up at me.

I laughed softly. "Isabella, Annie. Is-uh-bell-uh."

"Isbell." She squealed up at me.

I gasped at her almost instant grasp of my name. I smiled widely. "Almost, sweetheart. Is-uh-bell-uh." I repeated, feeling a little stupid.

"Bella!" She laughed, patting both my cheeks excitedly.

"Bella," I heard Mrs. Webber's voice say from the doorway. I turned around to see her smiling amusedly at both of us. "She shortened your name to Bella, did she?"

"Yes, she did." I chuckled, turning back to Annie to kiss her fingers that were waving in front of my face.

"I think Bella's a wonderful name," Mrs. Webber said, taking a seat next to me, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but Isabella always sounded a bit stiff and formal for a spirited girl like you."

I bit my lip.

She was right. Isabella _was_ stiff and formal. I liked the way the name 'Bella' sounded much, much more.

"I agree." Eric voiced, coming to stand behind the couch. He grinned down at his little sister and offered her his index finger, which she immediately latched on to. "Even Annie can see it's a better name for you."

I laughed and nodded. "I like Bella as well."

"Bella it is!" Eric boomed, grinning widely at me, "From now on you're Bella, not _Isa_bella. How's that?"

"Perfect." I smiled.

New name and a new life.

There was a sudden loud knocking at the door and Eric immediately stiffened and frowned.

"Who in the world would come knocking at this hour?" Mrs. Webber wondered, getting up.

Eric glanced at both of us apprehensively, before walking towards the window, and pulling back the curtains so that he could see outside.

His eyes widened steadily and he cursed under his breath.

"Eric." Mrs. Webber scolded him for his foul language.

Eric ignored her, turning to shoot me a frightened glance.

"_Guards_." He whispered harshly. "The Guards are here. They must be looking for you."

Mrs. Webber gasped and I gaped at him.

"Guards?" I repeated in a whisper.

_No, no, no._

Could this be the end of my little adventure already? If the Guards caught me, they would take me home and it would be the end. I would be married off to Jacob Black and no one would be able to do anything about it.

I felt tears build up in my eyes at the thought. Mrs. Webber was instantly by my side, hushing me.

"Don't worry, Bella," She soothed. Her casual use of my new name made me feel a smidgen better. "We will never tell them where you are. We will hide you," She glanced at Eric who nodded, "Get in the closet, and hurry."

She grabbed my arm and rushed me across the room and opened the door to the crowded closet next to the door.

There were coats and other winter clothing everywhere.

I could instantly see why Mrs. Webber had thought to hide me here.

A hungry lion could be in there and no one would know.

"With four kids, you collect quite a lot of winter jackets over time," Mrs. Webber said, amusement tinging her voice. "Now, hide!"

I hurried to the back of the closet, pulling the warm, woolen jackets across me so that I couldn't be seen.

It was uncomfortably warm underneath the layers of clothing but I knew that my safety was much more important so I kept still.

Mrs. Webber smiled. "They won't know." She assured me.

Eric shot me a sympathetic smile before he closed the door.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm.

I squinted in to the darkness. The only light in the room came from the little crack in the door from which light from outside was filtering in.

I heard the front door open steadily and loud voices instantly filled the house.

"May I ask why you have come calling at such a late hour?" Mrs. Webber's normally sweet voice was tinged with a bit of annoyance.

"Miss Isabella Swan, daughter of the Baron Swan has gone missing." The brusque voice of the Guard informed. "We've come to see if you might know anything about her disappearance."

"And why would we know anything about her whereabouts?" Eric asked, his voice filled with an authority that I hadn't heard before. "We only found out that she has gone missing now."

"Nevertheless, we have the authority to search your house." The Guard dismissed Eric's logic and loud footfalls echoed on the outside of the closet door.

My heart sped up as I saw shadows beneath the door, indicating that the Guard was standing right outside the door.

"This is a clear violation of privacy!" Eric exclaimed, angrily. "What evidence do you have to make an assumption that we would be hiding Miss Isabella Swan?"

"We don't need to have _evidence_," Sarcasm oozed from the Guard's words, "To have the right to search your house. Miss Swan is the daughter of the Baron and has been promised to Lord Black. It is of utmost importance that she is returned to her home. Now move aside."

Rapid footsteps told me that he was heading upstairs. I heard Mrs. Webber and Eric murmuring worriedly outside.

I clasped my hands together beneath my chin and began to pray silently.

_Please don't let them find me...please don't let them find me...please don't let them find me._

I kept up the silent chant until I heard the footsteps once more.

"Are you finished with your search?" Eric asked the Guard, clearly annoyed.

There was a moment's silence before the Guard's boots stopped outside the closet door.

"Not quite."

The door was wrenched open abruptly and blaring light filtered in to the closet.

I forced myself to hold in my gasp as the rugged-looking guard stood in front of the piles of clothes.

I knew that upon first glance it would be near impossible to see me, but the Guard's gray eyes were narrowed like a hawk's and I knew that he would certainly not leave the search at first glance.

He pushed aside some of the jackets hanging upon coat hangers, his chin tilted up intimidatingly.

His eyes fell to the ground and he grabbed some of the coats lying dangerously close to where I was.

I instinctively retracted my legs closer to my body and his eyes snapped towards where I was lying.

Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed some of the jackets lying near me and once more missed me by inches.

Clearly disappointed with his lack of findings, he straightened up and gave the closet one last glance before turning to Mrs. Webber and Eric who instantly hid their frightened expressions behind an annoyed one.

"If you have any information regarding Isabella Swan's whereabouts you are required to come forward immediately." He ordered before slamming the front door behind him.

Everyone was still for a while, the slam still echoing in the silence.

I slowly shuffled beneath the clothes, pushing the heavy jackets off of me.

Mrs. Webber hurried to my side. "Are you okay, dear? He didn't hurt you, did he? He grabbed those jackets so roughly, I thought..."

"I'm fine, Mrs. Webber. Really." I assured her, getting up on shaky legs.

Eric shook his head at me. He swiped his hand across his eyebrows as though wiping away sweat. "That was close."

"But that doesn't mean they won't come again." Mrs. Webber said, worriedly. "And I doubt we'll be so lucky the next time."

Eric nodded. "We'll need to find a better way to hide you. A disguise, maybe?"

"A disguise?" I repeated, dubiously.

I hoped the disguise wouldn't involve cutting my hair or doing something to my eyes. It would be far too extreme. But Eric liked to take things to the extreme like that. He had, after all, cut my hair once when we were children.

Mrs. Webber, however seemed to think it was an excellent idea. She nodded excitedly.

"I think it would be best if we made you look like a boy." She contemplated, "Yes. If you escaped here looking like a girl, there are still the chances that some men will try to hurt you."

"A boy?" I once again repeated, stupidly.

It seemed my normal eloquence was failing me today, reducing me to the point where my sentences couldn't exceed two words.

"Can we cut her hair?" Eric grinned evilly at me.

"Be serious, Eric." Mrs. Webber chided.

"What?" Eric's eyes widened innocently, "I am being serious! After all I've cut Bella's hair before...it wouldn't be hard." He winked at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Come near me with those scissors again and it'll be _your_ hair getting chopped off." I warned.

"I think we have a wig somewhere around here," Mrs. Webber said to herself, furrowing her brows, "I'm sure Eric would have one in his room from when he was young. He did love to play pretend with those things..."

She hurried upstairs, with Eric and I on her heels eager to see what she could come up with.

She led me in to Eric's room and my eyes widened.

The room was _far_ messier than the closet. Clothes littered every inch of the carpeted ground and the bed was piled with newspapers, books, and parchment.

"How do you sleep in here?" I wondered out loud.

"Ah, it's not that bad. It takes some getting used to, but it's quite nice, really." Eric said, breezily. He strode over to where Mrs. Webber was rifling through the items in Eric's closet.

"That didn't answer my question..." I muttered quietly before following him.

"Aha!" Mrs. Webber cried, pulling out a sandy-brown colored wig. She smiled at me, looking pleased. "This should do."

She walked towards me and collected all my hair in one hand and secured it on top of my hair before plopping the wig down.

"Eek!" I shrieked, shuddering. The wig felt itchy and rough against my scalp.

Mrs. Webber bit her lip, trying and failing to hide her smile. "It'll be a little itchy at first, but you'll get used to it. Eric did."

"I remember," Eric laughed, "I would wear that things for days at a time. Never took it off."

I tried to focus on the humorous image of a young Eric wearing the wig rather than the uncomfortable feeling running up and down my spine.

Mrs. Webber tapped her chin with her index finger, clearly deep in thought. "We'll need something more," She muttered. She glanced at Eric, "Why don't you get us some tea, dear?"

"But I want to see her disguise!" Eric protested, glaring at his Mother.

Mrs. Webber raised an eyebrow. "Fine. We'll need to find some stretchable cloth so that we can bind Bella's chest. Do you have any suggestions?"

Blood rushed up in to my face as I blushed, thoroughly embarrassed. Though this time, I wasn't the only one blushing.

Eric's face resembled a ripe tomato.

"I'll go get that tea!" Eric stuttered with false enthusiasm before rushing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Mrs. Webber laughed. "He will never change. Stubborn as a mule, that one. Now, about the bindings..."

"Mrs. Webber, I'm not sure I'm too comfortable with bindings." I protested, weakly.

Mrs. Webber glanced at me and sympathy filled her gaze. "I know, dear, but some things just have to be done. The Guards will do anything to find you, especially since you were to be wed to Lord Black. You're like a daughter to me, and I will _not_ let those foul Guards find you." She finished, fiercely.

I smiled, a warm feeling spreading out through me at her calling me her daughter.

She was right. Eric, Angela, and Mrs. Webber had all tried their best to hide me and make sure I was safe.

It was my turn now.

I took a deep breath and nodded, ready.

Mrs. Webber smiled and grabbed a long bed sheet from one of the drawers inside the closet. She bunched the fabric in her hands firmly, and tore it straight down one side.

She held it in her hands and stretched it experimentally. She nodded. "This will have to do."

Bustling over to me, she spun me around and pulled down the top half of my dress.

I shuddered as the cold air hit my bare skin and my hands went up instinctively to cover my naked breasts.

Mrs. Webber glanced at me, amused. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Bella."

I bit my lip and nodded, lowering my hands.

Mrs. Webber smiled. "Now, pay attention because the time may come when you'll have to do it yourself."

She wrapped the fabric tightly around my torso, squeezing my chest uncomfortably tight.

Confining though it was, it did the job. When my dress was back on, the binding made it so that my breasts weren't visible.

Mrs. Webber and I both agreed that it would be best to keep the bindings on for tonight just in case the Guards came knocking once more.

It was late by the time we had all finally decided to retire and I was exhausted.

The excitement and adrenaline from the evening had worn off and I had to remind myself how lucky it was that I had escaped.

I lay down on the bed, sighing.

There was a crinkling noise beneath me and I frowned.

Reaching under my back, I pulled out the poster of the pirate that I had taken earlier in the day.

Even in the darkness, it was obvious that the man was good looking.

I was once again left to wonder how such a handsome man could be such an evil pirate.

_Evil doesn't choose between the homely and the comely, Bella, _I reminded myself.

I knew that he was evil and cruel, but something about his face made me unable to tear my gaze from him.

I frowned as my eyes traced over his perfect features over and over again. All thoughts of sleep had been banished from my head and my eyes refused to let me put down the picture.

It could have been five minutes or five hours that I'd spent staring at the poster. I wouldn't know the difference.

But as the night wore on, I forced myself to tuck the picture inside my boots that Mrs. Webber had given me at the side of the bed.

I lay down on my side and closed my eyes.

I fell asleep, my dreams neither pleasant nor disturbing. Right in the middle as I dreamed of the man in the poster.

_The pirate._

~•~

"Bella! _Bella!_" I heard Mrs. Webber's anxious voice above me as I was shaken from my sleep. "Bella, _please_, wake up!"

I scrunched up my nose and let my eyes blink as I adjusted to the light in the room.

I looked up at Mrs. Webber who looked relieved that I was awake. "Oh, thank God. Bella, you have to leave. Now!"

I immediately sat up, panic filling me as I wiped the sleep from my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Mrs. Webber was hurrying around, glancing out the window anxiously. "The Guards!" She said, widening her eyes for emphasis, "There were some pirates roaming around tonight so the Guards came out. And someone tipped them off about your whereabouts...how they knew..." She shook her head, "They'll be here, Bella. You need to leave!"

I was on my feet instantly, adrenaline filling my body once more. "What should I do?" I cried, frightened, "Where should I go?"

Mrs. Webber bit her lip and gathered some clothes from the chair and handed them to me. "Take these. They're Eric's old clothes and they should fit you reasonably well. I don't know how long they will last, but they should dry fairly quickly so you can re-use them."

I accepted the clothes that she gave me, clutching them tightly as a way to relieve my nerves. I spotted the wig from before and gathered that too.

"Go to the nearest place that you will feel safe," Mrs. Webber commanded, "Don't stop. Don't walk. Run. When you get there, change in to these clothes and do whatever you can to blend in to the crowd."

I nodded, placing the clothes down briefly so that I could pull on my boots. I could feel the poster of the pirate crumpling beneath my feet.

"But Bella, be careful," Mrs. Webber whispered, bending down next to me. "There are pirates out there as well."

I nodded, my nerves doubling as I realized what a predicament I had gotten myself in to.

Mrs. Webber kissed my cheek and pulled me up off the bed. I secured the clothes tightly in my hands and hurried downstairs with her.

Eric was in the living room, pacing anxiously and running his hands through his hair.

He glanced up at us and immediately strode over to me. He wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Be safe." He whispered, kissing the top of my head.

He let go of me and Mrs. Webber nodded, opening the door for me.

"Thank you," I said clutching her hand before I left, "For taking care of me."

Mrs. Webber smiled. "Of course, Bella. Now go!"

I took her advice and hurried down the streets that I had walked down with Rosalie, heading towards the only other place that I knew.

The night was dark and I could hear screams and chaos ensuing on the streets - no doubt, because of the pirates.

I ran as fast as I could, passing buildings and dodging people as they hurried to get home.

The streets grew more and more familiar as I approached the pub that Rosalie had dragged me in to only yesterday.

It was - if possible - even _more_ crowded than it had been last time. The chaos was further enhanced by the fear that was tangible in the air.

Everyone knew what pirates were capable of and knew that no one was safe.

I entered the pub and pushed my way through the crowds as I had seen Rosalie do.

I spotted the hallway that she had dragged me in to and ran towards the room where she had talked with me.

The room was just as messy as I had remembered, but mercifully empty.

I set my clothes down on the bed and quickly walked over to the mirror hanging from the wall.

Pulling my hair tightly on top of my head, I slipped on the wig. I ignored the uncomfortable feeling and pulled my dress off.

The bindings were still wrapped tightly across my torso and I silently thanked God for small mercies.

I pulled on the breeches that Mrs. Webber had given me and tucked the shirt in to the breeches.

They were still fairly large for me, but fit reasonably well.

I looked up at the mirror and was surprised to see that it was near impossible to tell that I was a girl.

The large clothes and bindings hid my figure well and the wig covered my long brown hair.

The only things that were feminine was my build and my features. But my slight build could be excused off as lack of nourishment and no one would question my features unless they were combined with my hair.

Deciding that I was sufficiently disguised, I hurried out of the room. I took Mrs. Webber's advice and tried my best to 'blend in to the crowd'.

It seemed that the noise had doubled and people were more chaotic than they had been when I left.

I was shoved here and there and loud drunken shouts echoed in my ears as I pushed my way through the crowds.

When I finally made my way out of the pub, I gasped, sucking in as much air as my bindings would allow.

I shook my head and bit my lip, not knowing what to do anymore.

I decided to wander the streets for a while till morning emerged.

By that time the Guards would most likely be gone and I would be able to head back to the Webber's home.

I took a deep breath and walked slowly down the streets, avoiding people as the stumbled drunkenly past me.

I walked till I had come to a more quiet and calm part of the town. I sighed in relief as my ears finally stopped ringing.

I reached up to make sure that my wig was still on securely.

_Clang._

I frowned and looked down at what I had stepped on.

_A knife?_

What was a knife doing lying on the road? I bent down and slowly grasped the hilt. The knife was small, but heavier than I anticipated.

I straightened up and slowly ran my fingers across the smooth metal of the blade.

"Don't move, pirate!" A rough voice commanded behind me.

I froze, my finger freezing on the blade. I turned slowly to see a blonde-haired Guard pointing a gun right between my eyes.

My mouth dropped open.

He thought I was a _pirate_?

"No, no!" I cried, "I'm not...a pirate! Really, I'm not!"

"Quiet!" He snarled. "You lot just don't learn, do you? Pillage and plunder all you like, but in the end you turn in to sniffling babies when you get caught."

"I'm not a pirate!" I protested weakly, my heart in my throat as I realized what this might mean for me.

I could reveal who I really was, but that would mean my marriage to Jacob Black. But if I kept up my disguise, I could be killed!

My heart thumped furiously in my chest as the Guard reached out and grabbed my wrist in an iron grip.

He raised an eyebrow at me as he took me in. "A little small for a pirate, aren't you? What's your job? Are you the _lookout_?" He sneered. "Well, let me tell you someth-"

A loud thud echoed in the dark and the Guard's eyes widened before he slumped to the ground, his hand falling from my arm.

My head whipped up to see a blonde-haired blue-eyed man staring down at the Guard in disgust.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a white shirt tucked in to black breeches. Attached to his belt was a long sword and a gun.

"Bloody prick." The man muttered, shaking his head.

I gaped at him.

He had assaulted a Guard! He could be hung for that!

He glanced up at me and smiled grimly. "Get caught in the crossfire, did you?"

"Crossfire?" I asked, confused.

His eyes flickered between mine, but he ignored my question. "Don't take it personally. It's us they're really after." He kicked the Guard on to his back and bent down. "They just like to act like they caught _some_ pirate. They'll pretend anyone's a pirate just so that they can make it look like they're good at their job."

I gaped at him as he pulled the sword out of the Guard's belt. He straightened up and pulled the sword out of it's casing. He tossed it lightly in the air and caught it, testing it's weight.

"They're after...you?" I asked him tentatively, something he had said registering in my head.

_Did that mean that he was...?_

He furrowed his brows at me. "I'm a pirate, aren't I?" He spread his arms out wide, a small smile quirking at his lips.

I held in a gasp as he returned to his examination of the Guards sword as though he hadn't just revealed to me that he was a pirate.

I was frozen. I had escaped from a Guard just to walk right in to the hands of a pirate.

It was as though fate was out for my blood.

There were gunshots behind us and the pirate's head whipped around quickly.

"Damn." He cursed under his breath.

He glanced at me. He was clearly debating with himself as he looked at me.

His eyes flickered with something I couldn't quite place and he nodded. "Come on." He said, grabbing my arm.

I gasped as he sped up to a sprint, pulling me along.

"Where are you taking me?" I cried, making sure to lower my voice so that I didn't sound like a woman.

The man ignored me and pulled me along.

I frowned as he sprinted up the wooden docks. He rushed towards a large ship that was anchored at the dock.

My eyes widened as I saw men shouting on the ship.

He was a _pirate_ and he was taking me on his _ship?_

"I can't go on there!" I protested, pulling against his grip as he pulled me towards the plank that led up on to the ship.

He turned to me and raised an eyebrow. He glanced behind me and I turned to see what he was looking at.

There were Guards shouting to each other as they rushed towards us.

"Make a choice, boy," The pirate told me, his eyes narrowed, "Those Guards have seen you with us. They'll be out for your blood. Stay, and you'll be at the gallows before dawn breaks."

I knew he spoke the truth.

The Guards were already chasing after me as Isabella Swan, now they would be chasing after me as the boy who was seen with pirates too.

But still..._pirates_...

I looked up in to the bright blue eyes of the pirate. He raised an eyebrow at me.

I took a step back from him.

_It was the right thing to do._

He shook his head at me and climbed the plank. He reached the top of the plank and the Guards were closing in.

_But it felt so wrong._

"Wait!" I shouted, scrambling on to the planks and climbing up right behind the pirate.

He glanced down at me and smirked. "Come on."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me on to the ship.

I glanced up and saw that there were men of all ages scrambling across deck. All around people were hurrying to raise the anchor and set off from the dock. They looked like men on any merchant ship, but I knew that any riches that they would acquire would be from pillaging and kidnapping.

The ship jerked violently as it pushed away from the dock. I heard roars of triumph from the men on board the ship and shouts of disappointment from the Guards on the dock.

"Hey Jasper!" A burly, curly brown-haired man shouted from the wheel, "We could use your help here!"

"Stay here." The blonde-haired man commanded before hurrying off to help the man who had called him.

_Jasper_.

So his name was Jasper. The name seemed so normal. It didn't seem like a pirate name at all.

A pirate. I was onboard a pirate ship. I felt my knees shake and I sunk on to the floor of the deck. I raised a trembling hand up to my forehead.

How had this happened? I had no idea what to expect.

Were they going to kill me? Were they going to figure out I was a girl and...hurt me?

I silently thanked Mrs. Webber for considering the fact that I wouldn't be as safe if I had set out as a girl.

_Mrs. Webber._ Mrs. Webber and Eric would be so worried. I felt guilt rise up in me.

I knew there was nothing I could do, but I was still terrified.

"Oi, kid!" I heard the pir-_Jasper_-shout from above me.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you seasick already?"

I shook my head, getting up. "I'm not seasick." I said quietly. "I've been on a boat before."

"A _boat_?" Jasper asked incredulously, "Does this look like a boat to you? Don't offend us by comparing _Twilight_ to a fucking boat."

I winced at the foul language. "I'm sorry," I cringed, not wanting to get on the bad side of a pirate. "I simply meant to say that I won't get seasick."

Jasper observed me curiously. "Look, I know what people say about pirates. But I assure you that we're not all angry brutes."

"Who the _hell_ got bloody drunk enough to get the _fucking_ Guards on our tail?" I flinched as I heard a man roar loudly. Silence filled the deck.

"Never mind." Jasper muttered.

The minute I looked in the direction of the roar I knew who it was. My jaw dropped open as the man from the poster - Edward Cullen - stood before me.

He was - if possible - even more handsome than in the poster.

His eyes were bright emerald and his hair was the most peculiar shade of brown with a copper tinge.

He was just as broad-shouldered and built as Jasper, his cream-colored shirt stretching to fit across his strong arms and broad chest. His skin was bronzed by the sun and his eyes were narrowed dangerously as he surveyed his crew.

Anger radiated off of him in waves.

I couldn't help but think that he was magnificent in his ire.

A black-haired man stepped forward nervously from the crew. "Captain, no one could have-"

"Don't give me excuses," Edward snarled, "Who the hell did it?"

The black-haired man's eyes avoided Edward's as he stumbled through his next sentence.

"We were drunk, Captain and - uh - the Guards were there already, and I may have...um revealed to a wench that I was a pirate in order to...impress her." He flinched as he finished.

Jasper shook his head at the man. "Bloody idiot." He muttered.

"Let me get this straight," Edward began, his voice dangerously low, "You compromised yourself, the ship, and the crew just for a fucking wench?"

"I didn't mean to-"

"I don't care what you meant to do!" Edward roared. I cried out softly in fear.

My eyes widened as the men turned to face me.

The crew glanced at me in surprised curiosity.

Edward's eyes narrowed at me. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

I flinched back against the railing, fearing his wrath.

Jasper glanced amusedly at me before turning to Edward. "New addition." He informed him.

I glanced up at Jasper in surprise. From what I had gathered, Edward was very intimidating yet Jasper was talking to him with a relatively casual tone.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "New addition?" He asked, "When did you decide this?"

"When I saw a Guard about to cart him off to the gallows." Jasper said, shrugging.

Edward glanced at me, his eyes flickering up and down my body and making me feel strangely bare.

"No." He shook his head, "I don't like this Jasper. I want him out."

Jasper groaned. "Oh, come on," He implored, "Give him a chance."

"Are you kidding?" Edward asked incredulously, "Look at him! He looks like he'd fall down if I talk too loud!"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "We were like that once too."

"Years ago."

"Look, Edward," Jasper said, stepping forwards, "Someone gave us a chance. Don't you remember? If he hadn't decided to take pity on us, we wouldn't be here. Come on...the Guards think he's with us. He'll be killed if we take him back there."

Edward sighed frustratedly. He rubbed his temples and shook his head. "Fine." He said, bitterly, "But he's your responsibility."

Jasper smiled widely. "I know."

"I mean it, Jasper," Edward warned him, "I want him trained up and mopping the decks by tomorrow."

"Got it, Captain." He saluted him with two fingers.

Edward rolled his eyes and turned back to the crew who was watching the scene unfold with enthusiasm.

"What are you all looking at?" Edward barked, "Get back to work!" Everyone turned back to their work and the black-haired man looked relieved. "Except you," Edward pointed at the man who turned back with dread on his face, "You Come with me, Seth."

The man named Seth bit his lip and followed Edward down the stairs, below deck.

I exhaled hard, just realizing that I had been holding my breath during the argument between Jasper and Edward.

I knew that whether Edward approved of me or not was incredibly important to my staying alive. If he decided that I couldn't stay and returned me to the dock, I would be dead.

I still couldn't believe that he had let me stay on the ship.

Jasper turned to me with a wide grin.

"Well let's get going then,-" He frowned, "What's your name, anyway?"

"Be-en." I corrected hastily.

Jasper raised an amused eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

I blushed, embarrassed at my gaffe. "Yes." I mumbled.

"Well, let's get going then. I'll show you your room." He led me down the stairs below deck where Edward had disappeared with Seth just moments before.

He walked straight down the hallways, leading me through to the end where he stopped at a door.

"This is the only room available," Jasper informed me, "It's not very roomy, but it should do."

He opened the door and walked inside.

I followed hesitantly, not knowing what to expect.

The room wasn't very large, but it was a ship after all. There was a sink on the side, a mirror, a small desk, and a fairly large bed.

I was pretty surprised. I thought they would expect me to sleep on the ground with a pillow and a blanket.

But it seemed this night was full of surprises.

Jasper was a pirate and he had been nothing but nice to me. Edward, the vicious pirate I had heard about had let me stay on the ship. The Guards that I used to admire had tried to capture me and hang me.

I bit my lip and sat down hesitantly on the edge of the bed.

Jasper smiled at me. "You'll get used to being on a ship in no time. And don't worry about Edward," He added, "He's cranky all the time."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

Jasper grinned. "Just work hard and don't give him any reason to kick you off the ship." He advised, "Sleep tight."

He closed the door behind him and I heard footsteps fade outside.

I took off my boots and lay down on my side on the bed.

I needed to go to sleep. I knew that that was the only way I would be able to process all that had happened tonight.

I let my eyes slip closed and hoped to have thoughtless dreams, but even as sleep took me my dreams were filled with thoughts of a certain handsome, green-eyed pirate.

**AN: So this took a little longer than I had thought...sorry about that. But hopefully this chapter made up for it! They met! I know that they talk much, but they will in the next chapter! ;)**

**I, personally love cliché moments where Edward and Bella meet and instantly have an attraction for each other, but that's kind of impossible for Edward since Bella's, well...a guy. Sorry folks, but this Edward just doesn't swing that way. So those of you who are like me, hold on a little! **

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed: takada87, KhristenHartgrove, LADARTHA, sujari6, bebe223, LuckiLuci, and SarahhIonaa**

**M-J**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

**BPOV:**

_Eyes the color of the greenest grass gazed down at me with an unfamiliar twinkle. Red lips quirked up at the side and I felt my own lips turn up. _

_ I sighed._

_ I thought that people that beautiful existed only in fairytales. Clearly, I was wrong._

_ Dead wrong._

_ Because the man standing before me had beauty unparalleled and he was very real. Everything in his tall stature to the strength in his muscles screamed masculinity._

_ Sensing my gaze, he smirked. His hand came up to my face as his fingers gently teased my open lips._

_ I hummed contently._

_ All of a sudden his gaze turned stormy and his eyes narrowed in to a glare._

_ His fingers dropped from my parted lips and he took several steps back, ferocious glare still in place._

_ "No." I whispered in to the humid air, "Don't go!"_

_ He sneered at me as he edged towards the railing of the ship. I swayed dangerously as waves slapped against the sides._

_ "No!" I cried, "Help!"_

_ The water hit me like a ton of bricks and I went barreling to the floor. _

_ I looked up only to hear the sound of Edward's laughter, his face hidden behind the giant looming waves._

_ "Help!"_

I gasped for breath, clutching the blanket close to my chin.

A dream. Simply a dream.

Then why am I still swaying?

I frowned and sat up in the bed that I was in. The blankets were fairly comfy, though the room was rather bare.

I sniffed and scrunched up my nose, confused.

"Where am I?" I muttered to myself. The smell wasn't like Mrs. Webber's house. Not even like my room back at my Father's manor.

It was strange...almost like the ocean.

My eyes snapped open.

_Disguising as a boy...almost being caught by the Guards...getting on board a _pirate _ship..._

My eyes widened and I groaned.

What had I gotten myself in to?

I bit my lip and pushed myself up against the headboard, taking deep breaths.

I didn't regret the decision I had made...I would have been in big trouble had I stayed, but I definitely didn't approve of it.

What was I going to do?

Jasper had seemed very nice the day before, but I had no doubt in my mind that pirates could be and were very cruel.

_Especially to women..._

What if they found out I was a woman? Would they hurt me?

I felt myself shake at the thought.

I remembered the look of anger on the other pirate - Edward's - face last night when he had found that someone had put the ship in danger.

He had been both magnificent and terrifying.

Would he take that anger out on me should he find out who I was?

After all, the Guards were searching for me...would he kick me off the ship?

My eyes widened and my heart sped up.

I had no idea where I would go if that happened...would he make me walk the plank?

I couldn't even swim!

I heard loud footsteps outside the door and I hastily sat up.

One of my hands frantically patted my head, making sure that the wig had not fallen off in my sleep while the other hand fixed the bindings.

I watched, holding my breath as the door handle slowly twisted downwards before the door was pushed open.

Bright blue eyes met mine before a small woman pushed her way in to the room with a smile.

She was short - even shorter than me - and had pitch-black hair that contrasted prettily with her light eyes.

I was very surprised. She was very pretty and she was on a pirate ship! The pirates that I had heard so much about would have probably hurt her, but she seemed in perfect health.

She walked towards me hesitantly as though afraid of scaring me.

"Who are you?" I asked in a shaky voice.

She smiled reassuringly. "My name is Alice, Ben. I wanted to come see you. Jasper told me all about how those Guards were about to cart you off." Her smile turned in to a sour scowl, "Those bastards."

I gasped at her foul language, my eyes widening.

"Oh, sorry about that," She said, sheepishly as she came to sit next to me on the bed, "After living with pirates for long enough, you pick up their language. I stay in Jasper's room so I hear a lot of it."

"I'm so sorry." I said quietly.

"Sorry for what?" She asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"You have to live with...them," I said, "What did you do to upset them?"

"Upset them?" She asked with the same confusion evident in her voice. She eyed me warily.

"I think you have the wrong impression about pirates," She began slowly, "It's understandable, of course. There're a lot of stories out there."

"Are you telling me that they haven't murdered men?" I asked, surprising myself with my forwardness.

She frowned. "Well, no, but that isn't the only side to them, you know...hopefully over time you'll see."

"I'd rather _not_ think of cold-blooded murderers as kind." I muttered.

Both of our eyes widened when we realized what I had said.

I clapped my hand over my mouth and stared back at her in fright. What if she told one of the pirates that I had been rude?

Her expression slowly morphed in to one of amusement and she grinned.

"You'll do just fine on this ship," She nodded, "Just try to rein in that fire when you're with Edward. He doesn't like it very much when men oppose him."

My heart sped up slightly as I was reminded that I was, in fact, a _man_ right now.

Alice looked me up and down with a slight frown. "How old are you anyway?

My mind scrambled to think of an age that would suit a boy of my age. "Fifteen." I blurted out.

"Huh," She said faintly, "You're really thin, aren't you? We'll have to feed you up if you want to work on this ship."

"Is the work on this ship very hard?" I asked tentatively, not sure if I could keep up if it was too laborious.

Alice shrugged. "Running a ship is always hard," She said nonchalantly and my heart sunk. "But you'll get used to it. Looks like you still have quite a bit of growing to do. Once you build up some muscle it won't be too bad." I stayed silent. I didn't know how I could explain to Alice that I would in fact, _not_ be growing any more without revealing who I was.

"Acquainted now, Alice?" I heard Jasper's amused voice say from the doorway. His blue eyes were twinkling with love for the woman sitting in front of me. He grinned at me. "How are you today, Ben? She hasn't annoyed you, has she?"

My eyes widened at the implication. "Not at all! She's been very welcoming, and-," I paused when I saw Jasper snickering behind his hand and Alice smiling at me.

"Have I said something wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

"He's so polite!" Alice laughed, glancing back at Jasper who nodded.

"You don't have to worry. You act like someone's going to cut off your hand if you say something wrong." Jasper said, raising an eyebrow.

I blushed and lowered my gaze to my lap.

"Aw, he's so sweet," Alice giggled, bouncing a little on the bed. She reminded me of an energetic toddler.

Jasper scowled at her and walked forward, taking her hand.

"Sweeter than me?" He pouted.

I had to resist the urge to laugh as Alice grinned and stood up.

Before I could say anything, she placed a not-so-chaste kiss on Jasper's waiting lips, wrapping her arms around his neck.

I gasped at the blatant display of affection.

I stared at them wide-eyed as they uttered soft moans of appreciation at the contact.

Their lips moved fluidly against each other and their eyes were closed. They looked as though they had done this a million times and by now their lips knew exactly what to do in order to bring pleasure to the other.

It was completely improper both for them to be in such a passionate embrace and for me to be watching them.

But somehow I couldn't tear my eyes away from them. It was a scene such as I had never seen before and my curiosity was getting the better of me.

_Curiosity killed the cat, Bella,_ I reminded myself.

I lowered my gaze to my lap and coughed uncomfortably.

Alice and Jasper looked up from their kiss with dazed expressions upon their faces.

Alice looked slightly remorseful for kissing so obviously in front of me, but Jasper simply grinned widely. I noted that neither one of their faces held the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Jasper chuckled at my face that was sure to be filled with my colorful blush by now.

"Let's let Ben get ready, shall we love?" Jasper winked at Alice, grabbing her hand and leading her out of my room.

"See you at breakfast Ben!" Alice chirped before the door shut behind her.

I stared after them incredulously.

They were both forces to be reckoned with, that was for sure.

I realized that I should get ready for breakfast and begin to learn about those chores that were sure to come with living aboard a pirate ship.

_A pirate ship..._

I shook my head. I would probably never get used to the fact that I was actually on a pirate ship. It was surreal, frightening, and exciting all at the same time.

I got up and walked over to the sink in the corner of the room. There was a rack next to it containing a clean washcloth.

I picked up the washcloth and dipped it in the bucket of water that was placed next to the sink.

I squeezed out the excess water and dabbed the damp washcloth across my face, wiping away the fatigue from last night.

I glanced up at the mirror and frowned at myself. Despite the wig, my features were still distinctly feminine. I'd just have to be extra careful with how I behaved.

I reached down under my shirt and grimaced as I rearranged the bindings.

My breasts were getting very sore from the constant tight cloth taping them to my chest.

I sighed. Hopefully I would be able to take them off tonight.

I swiped the washcloth across my neck and my collarbone, feeling distinctly more awake as the cold water trickled down my skin, soaking the collar of my shirt.

I placed the washcloth back on the rack and faced the door.

I sucked in a deep breath along with my courage and slowly made my way out of the room and in to the corridor that Jasper had led me along just yesterday.

I was just about to make my way down said corridor when a hand wrapped around my elbow tightly and dragged me away.

I cried out as I was pulled in to a room much bigger than mine.

I whirled around when the hand let me go and was about to scream to the high heavens when I noticed that my captor was only little Alice.

"Alice," I gasped, placing a hand to my chest, "You scared me!"

I quickly lowered my hand from my chest when I realized that it may come off as a little too feminine.

Alice grinned at me. "Yes, I tend to do that to people."

I couldn't help but crack a slight smile at her honesty and sense of humor.

"Aha!" Alice cried suddenly, pointing at me, "I knew that you could smile!"

I let out a small laugh at her antics. "Can I ask why you've brought me to this room, Alice?"

The room itself was fairly luxurious for a room on a ship. There was a closet, a mirror, a sink, a large king-sized bed, and even a dresser. Obviously I'd gotten the lesser of the two rooms, but it made sense since Jasper was the first mate and I was just...extra luggage.

Alice smiled. "I thought that you might like to eat in private today since you don't know anyone." She said gesturing towards the tray containing a tough looking piece of bread and a mug of some type of porridge.

I glanced up at her and felt a rush of affection flood through me.

She had considered my feelings towards being on this ship and had actually gone out of her way to make me feel more comfortable.

"Thank you." I said quietly.

She grinned and waved towards the tray of food, encouraging me to eat it.

I felt my stomach grumble loudly and I hurried to sit down next to the tray.

"It's not the best food in the world," Alice remarked casually as she sat down next to me.

I picked up the piece of bread and held it up to my eyes. It looked incredibly hard and I didn't know how I would be able to eat it.

"It helps if you eat it with a little bit of porridge. It softens the bread." Alice advised, eyeing me carefully.

I nodded and spooned a mouthful of porridge, grimacing slightly at the cold and tasteless feel of the substance.

I broke off a piece of the bread with slight difficulty and placed that in my mouth, allowing it to soak up the liquidity of the porridge.

I chewed slowly, feeling the bread soften just like Alice had promised.

I swallowed and smiled at Alice in thanks.

She laughed. "It's not that bad once you get used to it." She told me. She was still eyeing me curiously and I suddenly felt very self conscious.

Had I not put my wig on properly?

She didn't say anything more so I put my worries aside and focused on eating the rest of the food.

I had a hunch that I would need the strength for later when Jasper showed me my chores on the ship.

I was very glad that I didn't suffer from the seasickness that ailed so many.

Eating the food in front of me and working on the ship would be close to impossible if I was unable to keep my stomach calm.

The ship swayed slowly from side to side as I ate in silence.

The swaying combined with the sounds of the waves hitting the sides of the ship had an almost calming effect upon me.

It was strange.

I sighed when I finally finished, placing the now empty bowl on the tray.

I looked up to see Alice still staring at me.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

She cocked her head to the side as though searching for something in my face.

"Why are you wearing a disguise?" She asked bluntly.

My eyes widened and I felt as though my heart had stopped.

_How?_

How had she known? Was this the end for me? No, no, no!

"I-I'm not. I don't know what you're talking about." I stammered out, looking everywhere but at her, desperately avoiding her piercing gaze.

"No, it's okay!" Alice insisted, placing a hand on mine. "Please don't get nervous, it's fine. Really."

I felt tears well up in my eyes when I realized what a predicament I had gotten myself in to.

What would happen to me now?

I was sure that I would be either married to Jacob Black or killed by sunset.

Frankly, I wasn't quite sure which was worse.

"Please," I whispered, a couple tears slipping down my cheeks, "Please don't tell anyone. Please don't kill me."

Alice's jaw dropped.

"Oh, no!" She said, sounding truly upset, "I never meant to make you afraid. I haven't told anyone, I swear!"

I paused, wondering whether she was telling the truth or not.

Her eyes were sincere and pleading.

I took a deep breath, reaching up to push away the tears.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

She frowned. "What are you sorry for?"

"I didn't mean to cry."

Alice shook her head. "It's okay, really," She said softly, "I was just wondering why you were wearing a disguise, that's all."

I stared up incredulously at her. "How did you know? Is it very obvious?" I asked desperately.

It had fooled Jasper, hadn't it? Or had he just been pretending?

"No, it's not obvious at all," Alice smiled. "Truly, you simply look like a famished boy."

"Then how did you find out?" I readjusted the wig on my head.

"Call it woman's intuition," She said, getting up and walking over to the large closet, "Your features are just far too pretty to be a man's."

I knew that my features would give me away. I just had no idea it would happen so soon.

I stared down at my lap disappointedly.

"I tried so hard to disguise myself." I said quietly.

"You did a pretty good job," Alice assured me, coming back from the closet with some clothes tucked in her arms. "Don't worry."

I smiled at her comforting words but still couldn't shake the fear that was building up in me.

She placed the clothes on the bed, separating a pair of breeches and a tan shirt from the pile.

She handed them to me. "These are some of Jasper's old clothes." She grinned, "He used to be so scrawny when I first met him. They'll be large, but that could only help you to hide your chest."

I gaped at her.

Was she actually _helping_ me?

She raised an eyebrow at my surprise.

"Did you actually think that I was going to rat you out?"

"Um..." I trailed off awkwardly. I knew that it was bad of me to make assumptions like I had, but it was a result of the fear I had felt.

She laughed loudly. "You really are sweet." She reached out to pinch my cheek like I was a little child, "Here, take these and change."

My eyes widened. "Now?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "We're both women, Be-" She paused and looked at me, "What's your real name, anyway?"

"Bella."

"Well, Bella, you have no reason to be shy. I can help you." She informed me, straightening up and placing her hands on her hips.

I blushed and nodded, standing up.

Alice smiled. "So have you been using bindings?"

I nodded.

"For how long?"

"Over a day." I grimaced at the reminder of the constriction my chest was under.

Alice's eyes widened. "You have to take them off!" She cried, "You can't put your chest under that kind of pressure."

I frowned. "But then people will notice!"

"I'll get you a bigger shirt, but I want you to take that off." She said strictly.

I wasn't going to protest any further.

She hurried in to the closet again and I hurried to unbutton my shirt.

I set it aside and undid the bindings, sighing as I was relieved of the material.

There were light bruises on my ribcage and I winced as I touched them.

I heard Alice gasp as she looked at the bruises.

"Bella!" She glared at me, "You can't ever keep your bindings on for that long!"

She shook her head, muttering to herself as she unfolded a significantly larger shirt.

She didn't bother giving it to me. She pushed my arms up and slid them through the shirt.

I stared at her, eyes wide as she buttoned the shirt and stood back with a satisfied smile.

I barely knew this woman and here she was, helping me out.

I remembered Eric telling me about how cruel the world was and how I should never underestimate it. But so far, I had only seen kindness. Even from a pirate.

"You can wear the bindings tomorrow." Alice said with a nod. She glanced up at me. "So you never told me why you're wearing a disguise in the first place."

I bit my lip.

Should I tell her? Could I trust her?

Somehow I knew that I already _did_ trust her. I think that it was involuntary but the way she behaved around me reminded me almost of Angela.

"My name is Isabella Swan." I said slowly, choosing to go with my instinct and trust her.

Alice's eyes widened. "You're the daughter of the Baron? The one that all the guards are looking for?"

I nodded.

Alice frowned. "Why'd you run away?"

"My parents were trying to force me in to marriage that I didn't agree with." I said, feeling that familiar anger that I had felt when they had told me about it well up in me. It was all-consuming and I felt my fists clench automatically. "They didn't even ask for my consent. Everything was so rigid and the expectations of society and my parents was something that I just wasn't willing to live up to anymore. I left."

Alice's face broke in to a wide grin and before I knew it her arms were wrapped tightly around me.

"I knew it," She said loudly, "I knew you were stronger than you looked."

I bit my lip, trying to conceal my smile as she pulled back.

I couldn't help it. My childhood had been so void of that type of affection - even a simple hug - that when I did experience it, I couldn't help but feel good.

"I'm not quite sure if that's a compliment or an insult." I remarked wryly.

"It's a little bit of both," Alice admitted with a grin.

"Alice..." I hesitated before speaking again, "You won't tell Jasper about me, right? It's not that I don't trust him, it's just that I don't..."

"Hey, Bella, it's okay," Alice assured, "Really. I won't tell him. I promise."

I sighed in relief. "Thanks, Alice. For helping me as well."

Alice grimaced. "Wait till the end of the day. I have no doubt in my mind that Edward's going to work you to the bone today. You probably won't thank me then. He wouldn't work you so hard if he knew you were a girl."

My heart sped up involuntarily at the mere mention of the incredibly handsome captain.

"He wouldn't have let me on this ship if he knew I was a girl." I pointed out. "But why would he work me to the bone today? It's my first day, wouldn't it make more sense to train me up?"

"That's not Edward's theory." Alice shook her head, "He believes in training them up when they're young."

I winced. "Will he really work me _that_ hard?"

Alice bit her lip. "I'll tell him to go easy on you...but I can't promise you anything."

I stayed silent for a while, processing what she had said.

"Is the captain really as cruel as people say he is?" I asked hesitantly.

Alice's expression changed rapidly. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw stiffened, causing her pretty face to become surprisingly menacing.

"Whatever you've heard is wrong," Alice spat, "People just like to point the finger of blame at someone...and who better to point at than a pirate?"

My eyes widened and I flinched backwards slightly at her harsh tone.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

Alice's head snapped to me and she immediately looked remorseful.

"No, Bella, I'm sorry," She said, biting her lip. She sighed. "It's just that people make a lot of assumptions. God knows the rumors Edward has had to endure over the past few years."

"Are you saying that the rumors aren't true?"

"Some are," Alice admitted, "He has killed before, but that's just the life of a pirate. But the others...they're just petty, misplaced accusations."

Her blue eyes radiated with sorrow for the captain, which surprised me greatly.

I was surprised at the protective nature that Alice had taken on when talking about this man. After all that Jennifer had told me that day in the market, it shocked me that anyone could sympathize with such a cruel man.

_"But the others...they're just petty, misplaced accusations"_...Could she be right?

I looked up at her and was surprised to find her looking straight back at me, her blue eyes piercing.

"I don't expect you to believe me right now," She said, getting up and straightening out the bottom of her dress, "But I hope that over time you can realize that he has a good heart."

"You care from him greatly," It was more a question than a statement.

Alice nodded. "He took me in and gave me life when I had nothing left. I am forever in his debt."

I was curious about what the captain had done to take her in, but didn't ask. I had a feeling that it was rather personal and I had already tested enough boundaries today.

"I'll let you judge for yourself. Please don't feel like I'm imposing my views upon you." Alice said, immediately.

"No, not at all," I assured, "It was nice to hear more about this infamous captain."

We both smiled wryly.

Alice sighed. "We'd better hurry up. Can't have you slacking off on your first day of work, now can we?"

I bit my lip, anxiety flooding me as I thought of what the captain would make me do today. My heart sped up slightly at the thought of looking in to his emerald eyes once more.

Alice noticed my nervous look and smiled. "Don't worry. Jasper understands and he'll just teach you the basics today."

I nodded and got up, ready to get started on my first day upon the..._Twilight_.

I frowned.

What a strange name...

Alice grabbed the material that had been used to bind my chest and walked over to the closet to hide it inside a shelf.

She walked back over to me and let out a breath in a whoosh.

"Ready to start?" She asked with a smile.

I took a deep breath and nodded ready to begin to learn what new exciting things that my life aboard this pirate ship had in store for me.

~•~

"Mopping?"

I stared disbelievingly at Jasper as he handed me a ragged mop and a bucket filled with water.

I knew that the captain had told Jasper that he wanted me mopping the decks today, but I didn't think he would actually make me perform such a trivial chore...

The view on the deck was absolutely breathtaking and something that I had never witnessed before.

We were clearly far out on the ocean. There was blue everywhere. The dark navy blue of the ocean and the light baby blue of the sky that was dotted by a cloud here and there.

The sun was blaring upon the deck of the ship as it pushed firmly through the rippling water.

It was hot and I could feel beads of sweat gather behind my neck.

For my first day upon the pirate ship, I had expected to be hoisting the sails, learning how to use a sword, steering even.

What I hadn't expected was to be handed a mop and told to clean the deck.

Jasper smiled amusedly at me.

"We have to keep the decks clean, don't we?" He asked rhetorically as I accepted the mop. "You'll be surprised how much dirt a ship gathers when it goes to port. Anyway, what's wrong with mopping?" He crossed his arms across his chest and cocked an eyebrow at me.

I hesitated. "Nothing...it's just...rather dull for a pirate ship, don't you think?"

Jasper laughed loudly, causing several members of the crew to look at us.

The entire crew had been very eager to know who I was and where I had come from. All they had known was that Jasper had brought me aboard and I was part of the crew.

Their curiosity was expected, but very unnerving. All the members of the crew were tough-looking and very intimidating with bronzed skin and short hair.

The only people that I had seen with long hair were Jasper, and...the captain.

They may have looked mean but none of them had actually acted aggressively towards me.

Actually, it seemed that they had already accepted me as part of their crew. I even got a couple of smiles as I had gone up on deck.

"Dull for a pirate ship!" Jasper chuckled, "You'll soon learn that nothing on a pirate ship is _dull_, Ben." His eyes twinkled as he winked at me. "Even mopping."

With that, he turned on his heel and descended the stairs below deck.

I gaped after him, not quite sure what had just happened.

I glanced down at my hand that was clutching the mop and sighed.

_Mopping it is._

I figured that I should probably be glad that it was just mopping and not something more burdensome.

The problem was...I had never mopped before.

The daughter of a Baron lived a very sheltered life.

I frowned, my eyes flickering between the mop and the bucket of water that was lying near my feet.

I'd seen the servants in my house do it a couple times, but the moment they had seen me they'd always rushed to get their work done and get out of my way.

It had always confused me but Mother had always said that they were not to disturb anyone.

_I suppose I'll just have to manage with the basics_.

I picked up the mop and dunked it in to the bucket of water, letting out a tiny squeal when the water overflowed and splashed against my feet.

I saw some of the crew members glance at me and smirk to themselves.

I sighed and shook my head.

_Come on, Isabella. Time to prove yourself._

Determinedly, I picked up the mop, now far heavier due to the fact that it was weighed down by the water.

I placed it upon the wood of the deck and pulled firmly, swiping it across.

Rather than sliding smoothly as I had expected, it caught on to the nails on the deck and almost made me trip.

I frowned.

_No!_

Could I not even mop correctly?

I dunked the mop in to the bucket once more and tried again.

The mop went a little further this time, but jerked to a stop when it caught on to yet another nail.

I let out a frustrated breath.

It was impossible! Did Jasper give this job to me on purpose to make me look like a fool?

By the tenth attempt, I was ready to give up and drop down on to my knees so that I could wash the deck by hand.

I dropped the mop to the ground with a huff and scratched my head through my wig as I glared at the wet, yet unclean deck.

I heard some snickers behind me and sighed, shaking my head.

"Has that mop offended you somehow?"

I whirled around to face the speaker who turned out to be a tall, burly, curly brown-haired man. His stature and build was incredibly menacing, but his face held a boyish look that was something that I hadn't seen before on this ship.

"I-uh-I didn't mean to-," I stammered. I stopped when I realized that the man's expression was not strict, but rather amused.

He grinned at me, dimples standing out sharply against his face. "I'm Emmett," He said, sticking his hand out for me to shake. I tentatively placed my hand in his hand, shaking it.

"I'm Ben." I said.

"I know," He glanced down at the mop and the bucket, "Having some problems?"

"No." I said defiantly, not wanting to reveal that I was actually having trouble _mopping_.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I sighed, giving in. "I just don't see how it's possible for me to mop the deck without it catching on to the nails!"

Emmett smiled. "Mopping on a ship is very much different to mopping on a smooth surface."

I watched curiously as he picked up the mop and handed it to me.

"Try again."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Do it." He encouraged.

I sighed and accepted the mop. I held it with both hands and dragged it along the rough surface as hard as I could.

I felt like crying out loud as it caught against the nails once more.

"There's your problem," Emmett spotted immediately, "You're swiping it across the deck the wrong way."

He reached out and shifted my grip on the handle. He reached out and slid the mop across the deck in the opposite direction.

I gaped and he smiled, satisfied as it slid smoothly, not catching on any nails.

"Th-thank you." I managed as he handed it back to me.

He laughed and nodded. He looked very intimidating at first, but as I was becoming to learn about many of these pirates, their bark was much worse than their bite.

"So, Ben," Emmett began conversationally, leaning against the railing as I began mopping in the way he had shown me, "How did you come aboard our ship?"

Something about this man had me feeling very comfortable and free to speak despite the fact that he was a pirate. It was much like the feeling I had when I was with Jasper. They seemed to just be two very friendly people.

"I was walking on the streets and I saw a knife. I picked it up because I was curious. Unfortunately," I sighed, thinking about the serious blunder I had made, "A Guard saw me and assumed that I was a pirate. He was about to take me to the gallows when Jasper found me and brought me here."

Emmett nodded his understanding of my story.

"You have a lot to learn," He observed with a wry smile, "Running a ship isn't easy. Are you ready for a challenge?"

I grinned back at him. "Are you ready to teach me?" I shot back.

Emmett laughed loudly, reaching out to ruffle my wig.

I froze, fearing that either the wig would come off or that he would realize that it wasn't my real hair.

I breathed a sigh of relief as he retracted his hand, his smile still wide upon his face.

"Ay, I'll teach you. You grasped the mopping concept fairly easily," He joked. "Any problems you have, you can come to me. Whether it be with your chores or these idiots here," He jerked his head towards the other crew members that had snickered at me before. They scowled at him. "I'll help 'ya."

I smiled, touched at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you. But what if I get on the bad side of the captain? He seems vicious...would you be ready to help me then?"

"I'm second mate." He said, jerking his thumbs towards his chest proudly, "He'll listen to me."

I laughed lightly. "Who's first mate?"

"Jasper," Emmett grumbled, "Fucker knew Edward first."

"Well, that makes sense, doesn't it?" I asked slowly, "He knows more about Jasper so he trusts him more."

"Are you saying I'm not trustable?" Emmett asked, his eyes narrowing.

"No!" I said immediately, "No, not at all! I just-," I stopped when I realized that Emmett was laughing.

"I'm just messing with you." He grinned.

"Haha." I said dryly, plunging my mop back in to the bucket of water, sending another wave of water on to the deck.

"Christ!" Emmett exclaimed as he jumped back to avoid the water that rolled towards him.

"Sorry." I winced.

"Are you planning on mopping the deck or pouring water over it?" Emmett asked rhetorically, shaking his head at me. "Place the mop in the bucket _gently_, lad. A little water goes a long way."

He took the mop from me to demonstrate. There was no excess water dripping from the ends of the mop as he pulled it out of the bucket.

I smiled gratefully at him and accepted it as he handed it back to me.

"The newest addition to our crew can't even _mop_ by himself. Good to know."

I froze, recognizing the voice at once. I glanced up at Emmett who simply rolled his eyes before meeting the ice-cold emerald eyes that were glaring at me.

Edward Cullen, the _captain_ stood before us his arms crossed against his chest and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

He was wearing a tan shirt tucked in to black breeches. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows showing his strong forearms, and the first few buttons of his shirt were undone revealing his chiseled chest.

He looked every bit as beautiful and menacing as he had last night. My heart sped up and I simply gaped at him, not quite knowing what to say in response to his quip.

"Oh come on, Edward," Emmett said, stepping forward, "He can't be older than fifteen. Cut him some slack, would you?"

"When we were fifteen we were hoisting sails and using swords, are you honestly telling me that he is unable to _mop the deck_?" The captain questioned his voice dangerous.

My heart was practically beating out of my chest and I was sure that my eyes were as wide as saucers by now. I was terrified.

Emmett, however, didn't seem intimidated in the least. It seemed that the captain, Jasper, and Emmett shared a special bond that showed that they were more than just crew members, but friends as well...

"Edward, cut it out." Emmett said firmly, but quietly so that the other crew members who had gathered around to see what the commotion was wouldn't hear.

The captain finally tore his gaze away from mine to glare at Emmett.

"Cut what out?" He spat, "I didn't approve of him being here in the first place. We have one more mouth to feed now, and for what? What is he going to do for us in return?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jasper and Alice approach us slowly behind the captain.

Alice's eyes flashed to mine and her eyes widened as though asking me, _'what have you done'_?

I felt tears fill the corners of my eyes.

_I really didn't know what I had done._

"Jasper and I will teach him about things here," Emmett insisted, "Once he's trained up he'll be an asset. You watch."

"Or he could end up not learning anything and making a mistake that will send us all to the gallows." The captain countered, his eyes flashing dangerously at me.

"He's just a fucking burden."

Almost instantly I heard my Father's voice echo in my head: _"how much longer will you continue to be a burden on us?"_

"I am _not_ a burden!" I shouted, dropping the mop and glaring furiously at the captain.

I didn't even realize what I had done till an eerie silence, reminiscent of the silence that had taken place last night when the captain found out that Seth almost gave them away, filled the deck.

Every head snapped towards me, all in varying degrees of shock and surprise.

Every face except the captain's.

His expression was stoic however his eyes revealed the anger that was filling him at my words.

He slowly unfolded his arms and stared straight at me. "What did you say?" He asked quietly.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel a bit of remorse for what I had said.

I meant it, and I was shocked to feel my hands clenched in to fists.

"I said I am _not _a burden." I repeated in a low growl that I had never heard before.

"Edward, don't-," Jasper began, taking a step forward. The captain silenced him with a flick of his hand.

Jasper's worried eyes flashed towards me. He clearly knew that I had tested the captain too far.

_Great. I barely knew him and I had already gotten on his nerves._

However, there was still no remorse. Only anger and a desperation that I couldn't identify.

"He's just a kid Edward," Jasper tried again.

The captain ignored him.

"Come with me." The captain growled in a voice that sent shivers up my spine. He turned on his heel, walking across deck and downstairs.

I could feel the gaze of every crew member on me as I followed him.

I was thankful for my anger that was taking control of every other emotion in my body. For I didn't think that I would have had the courage to follow him had I been in my normal state of mind.

The captain led me down the stairs and down the corridor that Jasper had led me down yesterday, but turned abruptly and opened the door to a room.

I followed him in to the large room. It was far more luxurious and spacious than the other rooms. But far messier.

The sheets on the bed were unmade and the desk was littered with parchment.

The loud slam of the door closing jerked me back to the present.

The captain turned around to face me, his expression even more menacing than it had been up on deck.

"Repeat what you said to me up on deck, _one more_ time," He snarled.

I met his gaze unflinchingly, narrowing my eyes. "I am not a burden." I said slowly, enunciating every word.

"You couldn't even mop the fucking deck by yourself!" He spat, his fists clenching. He shook his head in disgust at me and turned around.

While I would have normally flinched at the harsh words, now it simply fueled my anger.

"Just because someone fails at first doesn't mean that they're a burden!" I shouted.

"Then prove it!" He shouted back at me, whirling on his heel and taking a few fast steps towards me. "Prove that you aren't a _burden_ and grow the fuck up like the rest of us had to when we were your age!"

"You don't know anything about me!" I snarled.

He didn't. He didn't know the first thing about me. I had been forced to grow up more than a young girl should in the past three days.

"You're right, I don't. Remind me again why you're aboard my ship."

"I could work and I could prove myself if you'd just let me!"

"Don't!" Before I knew what was happening, the captain had reached in to his waistband and whipped out a dagger.

I gasped as he grabbed my forearm and shoved me against the wall, the tip of his dagger right next to my neck.

The tip of the sharp metal right next to my neck was quite possibly the most frightening thing I had ever experienced.

The grip the captain had on my forearm tightened further, effectively cutting off circulation to my hand.

His eyes were burning with anger. "No one speaks back to me."

"Edward." Alice's sharp voice echoed in the room and we both turned to see Alice standing in the doorway, her eyes flickering between us.

"Edward, stop." She said, firmly.

"Leave Alice." The captain growled, turning his rage towards her.

"No," Alice said stubbornly. She walked forwards and grabbed on to my arm, "You need to stop this. This is ridiculous and petty. He's a child."

The captain didn't say anything. He glared at me as he let go of my forearm. He stepped back, throwing the dagger on to his desk with a clang.

He shot me one last glare before turning his back on us.

I could see the muscle in his jaw twitching furiously.

"Come on," I looked to my side to see Alice tugging at my arm. "Come on." She repeated, pulling me behind her out of the captain's room and towards my room.

I followed her numbly, my anger slowly starting to fade.

What had happened was finally starting to sink in and all the emotions that I _should_ have been feeling were now coming back in full force.

Fear, remorse, sadness, and an overwhelming sense of desperation.

"What happened, Bella?" Alice asked the minute we entered my room. Her eyes were wide and shocked. "You know that Edward has a temper, what could possibly push you to provoke him like that?"

I moved past her to sit down on the bed.

"He called me a burden." I said quietly. "It's what my Father called me the night I ran away." I looked up at her. Her eyes were sympathetic. "I couldn't handle someone else saying the same thing. It...struck me. It was like a slap. I know that I shouldn't have shouted at him or provoked him, but I can't find it in me to regret it."

Alice sighed and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to me.

"Edward's always been suspicious of people." Alice informed me, "But I've never seen him act quite like that. It's probably because you're younger. When he was your age the captain that he used to work for was incredibly harsh on them - Jasper, Edward, and Emmett I mean." She clarified, "Just know that Edward doesn't like men talking back to him. It's the one thing that he won't stand for."

I stared at the ground, feeling the boat sway unpredictably like my emotions.

I should have known better than to provoke such a temperamental captain. I was being stupid.

"Do you think he'll make me leave?" I asked quietly, voicing the fear that had been nagging me ever since we had come back from the captain's room.

Alice shook her head. "I know he won't. Like I said, he only acts that way with you because he's suspicious and because he wants to teach you to be tough. He won't make you leave."

I nodded, feeling some of my anxiety ease away.

Alice smiled. "Why don't you rest for a while, Bella? I'll bring dinner up to your room later. I have a feeling that tomorrow's work will be a lot tougher than today."

I gave her a false smile and nodded.

Alice got up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I waited until I heard her footsteps fade before letting the tears fall down my cheeks.

I pushed myself up against the headboard of the bed, wrapping my arms around my knees.

I rested my head against my knees and sobbed unrestrainedly.

I cried for Angela who had risked her job with my parents in order to help me escape. I cried for Mrs. Webber and Eric who had taken care of and hidden me so well. I cried for Rosalie who had helped me escape from the lewd men on the streets and made sure I got to safety.

So many people had helped me and shown more kindness than I would ever know and now all their efforts had gone to waste.

I ran from home in hopes of going to a place where I was free, only to end up on a _pirate _ship, with a captain whose temper seemed to rival Satan's himself.

I lay down and buried myself underneath the sheets.

Gone was the image of the handsome and intriguing captain that I had had for him. Now all I could think of when I thought of him was the angry man that had shouted at me and held a knife to my neck.

How could this possibly get any worse?

**AN: What can I say? Just. WOW. I am LOVING the response to this story! Sorry this update took so long, but it's the end of the school year and those are always hectic...**

**Every single one of you that have reviewed or suggested this story...THANK YOU! You guys really, truly make my day: wannabe-amazon, KhristenHartgrove, takada87, LiLi82, LuckiLuci, sujari6, Nissa-Cullen, Love2readgirl, , ADADancer, shaz308, and albesca callimir.**

**I know this update took a long time, but...8,000 words...can I have some reviews for that?**

**M-J**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

**BPOV:**

Something that I knew with absolute certainty the next day was that I would _never_ let someone push me around like the captain had yesterday.

As I looked in the mirror in the morning I remembered the frightened girl that had stood before it just the day before.

Today was different.

My eyes were narrowed at my reflection and filled with something that I couldn't quite place. It was almost like a fire that had been lit within me.

Yes, I was well aware that the captain could and probably would kill me if I stepped out of line. But gone were the days where I would sit by and watch as someone else ran my life or influenced the decisions I made.

I would do my work aboard the ship. And I would do it well. I knew that my knowledge was limited now, but I would learn. Even if the captain didn't like me, I knew that I had other friends aboard this ship that would help me.

Jasper, Emmett, and Alice had already shown me kindness despite the fact that I was new.

The captain meant nothing to me.

I would prove to him that you had to give people a chance before you could start passing judgments on them.

I was going to prove myself to him and to the rest of the crew.

With those furious and determined thoughts I got ready so that I could head down to the galleys for breakfast.

Alice had taken pity on me and brought breakfast to her room so that I could eat with her the previous day, but I highly doubted that I could do that every day. I would have to mingle with the crew eventually.

Alice had come in as I was getting dressed to help me with the bindings and bring me new clothes.

Alice winced once more as I removed my shirt from the previous day.

"Are you quite sure you want to put on the bindings again?" She asked, eyeing my bruises apprehensively.

I sighed, glancing down at my ribs.

Yes, they hurt but I wasn't going to risk being discovered just for a couple hours worth of comfort.

"It's nothing I haven't dealt with already wearing those corsets." I said, trying to convince myself as much as I was Alice.

She sighed and nodded her reluctant acceptance.

"Turn around, then."

I twisted around, lifting my arms up so that she could slowly wrap the material around my upper waist and my chest.

I stifled a grimace as the bindings pressed harshly against my already sore bruises.

When she was finally done, I turned around and picked up the new shirt she had brought me.

I looked up as I was doing the buttons to see Alice looking at me.

I raised an eyebrow and she sighed.

"Bella, please don't let us have a repeat of yesterday." She pleaded.

I frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means don't go provoking Edward." She said, emphatically.

"_Provoke _him?" I repeated incredulously, "How did I provoke him? He wanted to find flaws with me, and I will not apologize for having them."

"I don't want you to apologize, Bella." Alice said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

My heart warmed at her tone of concern and I found myself feeling guilty for lashing out at her.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I know that you have my best interests at heart. It's just," I hesitated, "I'm so tired of allowing people to take control of my life and I don't intend on letting the captain do the same."

"That stubbornness will be your undoing." Alice grinned to let me know she was only joking.

I laughed lightly, knowing that she was probably right.

"Edward has a naturally volatile nature," Alice explained, "He's been that way forever; angry, inflexible, and bitter at the world. But he's incredibly loyal to the ones he cares about. There's very few that he _does _care about that much, mind you. But Edward, Jasper, and Emmett...they would give their lives for each other in a heartbeat."

I stared at her in surprise.

It seemed almost ludicrous to me to think that a pirate like the captain could care about _anyone_ that much.

Alice looked amused at my surprise.

"Have you never wondered why Edward accepted you on board so easily that night?" Alice asked, "It's because _Jasper_ brought you on board. Edward knows that he can trust Jasper's judgment. You're very lucky that Jasper found you that night."

I considered that. It certainly made sense. I stared down at the floor, a billion thoughts floating through my head.

All of..._everything_ that I had come to think about pirates was starting to be proved wrong.

All of that fear that I had associated with pirates was now redirected towards the Guards.

I was willing to stay aboard this pirate ship, but going with the Guards was not even an option.

It was quite ironic, really.

Those Guards that I had admired so much were now my greatest fear.

"Come on," Alice said briskly, grabbing my arm and leading me out the door, "Don't want to be late for breakfast."

As she led me down the corridor, I resisted the urge to shake my head in amusement.

She was so tiny yet so aggressive...it would surely be comical in another situation.

We heard laughter around the corridor that led to the galleys and Alice immediately let go of my arm.

Two tall men from the crew rounded the corner, laughing loudly and shoving each other playfully.

I silently thanked God for her quick reflexes as they glanced up at us and smiled. I would have thought nothing of Alice dragging me along, and they would have surely been suspicious.

We approached the galley and I was about to open the door to go in when Alice grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Alice murmured. She stood on her toes as she looked through the small window in the door. "Just making sure that Edward isn't there yet. I think it best if we introduce you to the crew without him breathing fire at you." How Alice thought of these things, I would never know...

She was so good at hiding my identity, it was as though God had sent her here just to protect me.

"Okay," She sounded satisfied as she dropped back on to the balls of her feet, "He's not there."

She opened the door and led me inside the large room.

The room held several tables all filled with men talking loudly and groaning about the tasks of the day.

There was a counter at the edge of the room that held several bowls of the porridge that Alice had given me yesterday.

The minute we entered every gaze in the room turned to me.

I felt the heat rise to my face as the previously raucous room turned silent only to be pierced by quiet murmurings.

Every rugged man in the room was staring at me like I had suddenly told them that the world was flat.

"Hello everyone." Alice said cheerfully, skipping over to the counter.

She grabbed two bowls of the porridge and walked over to a table in the corner, raising an eyebrow at me meaningfully.

I made to follow her, but was stopped as a large hand slapped on to my shoulder.

I jumped, emitting a high-pitched squeak as I whipped around to see who had touched me.

The man was tall - very tall - with a shaved head and dark brown skin. His eyes were the darkest shade of black but emitted a strange warmth. He had broad shoulders and strong arms, defined by the sleeveless shirt that he was wearing. His face held wrinkles around the corners of his eyes and he was clearly older than most of the crew.

He raised an eyebrow at my squeal but smiled anyway. When he spoke, his voice was low and rumbling, carrying throughout the room.

"Speakin' up to the captain like you did yesterday was pretty impressive, son." He grinned at me, his white teeth contrasting sharply against his dark skin.

My eyes widened at his statement and I looked around to see several others nodding and murmuring their agreement.

"Impressive?" I repeated stupidly.

"Of course." The man boomed, "Not every young man can speak up to a pirate captain."

I blushed at the compliment and shuffled my feet awkwardly.

"Ah, no need to be embarrassed, lad." The man chuckled.

Several other men laughed along with him.

I looked up to see Alice smiling at me. She walked over to us with that graceful gait of hers.

"Ben, I don't think you've met our oldest, and my personal favorite," She shot the man a wink at that remark and he laughed. "Crew member, Jonathan."

"Pleasure to meet you, Jonathan." I said hesitantly, sticking my hand out.

Jonathan smiled at me and shook my hand. "Welcome aboard, Ben."

With that the dam broke and the room was once again filled with the sounds of talking and laughter.

I glanced around me in surprise and Alice shook her head.

"Attention spans of a squirrel." She smiled and I laughed.

"You're brave, Ben," Jonathan said, capturing my attention once more. His expression was apprehensive. "But you have to know that the captain doesn't take lightly to traitors. You best not make it look like you _are_ one."

I stared at him in shock.

A _traitor?_

"Well, have your breakfast," Jonathan urged, gesturing to the bowls of porridge that was still sitting on the table that Alice had chosen. "You'll need it when you're doing your chores."

Alice and I smiled and nodded our goodbyes to Jonathan before heading to the table and sitting down.

I wanted to ponder more about what Jonathan had said about me not making myself look like I was a traitor, but my stomach was telling me to focus on eating first.

I picked up my spoon and eyed the porridge dubiously. The only resemblance that the substance in front of me had to porridge was the texture.

The color was almost gray and had tinges of dark brown here and there almost as if it had been burnt.

Was it even possible to burn porridge?

Was this their plot? Trick the little rich girl in to thinking she's a part of the crew then kill her with poisoned porridge...

"Do you have any napkins?" I asked, looking around and frowning when I realized there was nothing but a spoon.

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, we do. It's called your shirt sleeve."

She swallowed her food and wiped the back of her mouth on her shirt as an example.

I stared, wide-eyed at her.

If my Mother had seen that, she would surely have had a heart attack right then and there.

_But your mother's not here, Bella..._

I glanced down at the food, still suspicious.

"Oh, come on," Alice said, rolling her eyes at my hesitation, "It's nothing you haven't eaten before. It's not gonna kill 'ya."

I looked up and nodded.

She was right. Hadn't I just resolved this morning that I would be tougher? How tough was I if I couldn't even eat a bowl of porridge without a twinge of fear poking at me?

I picked up the spoon and spooned a mouthful quickly in to my mouth.

I resisted the urge to wince at the bland yet almost bitter taste.

"What's the verdict?" Alice asked dramatically.

I put on a weak smile. "It's so good."

Alice took one look at the expression on my face and burst out laughing.

A reluctant smile wormed it's way on to my face as she clutched her stomach and shut her eyes.

Many men looked our way and shook their heads at Alice, turning back to their conversations with smiles on their faces.

"Are you quite finished?" I asked, amused as Alice sat up.

She chuckled and nodded, wiping at the corners of her eyes.

"You're so interesting, Be-en." She corrected hastily as she looked behind my shoulder.

I furrowed my brows and turned around to see Emmett and Jasper picking up their own bowls of porridges and heading towards us.

"Ben, Alice." Emmett greeted as he slid in to the chair next to me.

"Good morning." Alice and I replied.

Jasper sat down in the chair next to Alice and kissed her gently on the lips, seemingly not happy with simply a verbal greeting.

My eyes widened and I quickly averted my gaze.

Emmett chuckled. "It's okay, Ben. They're done."

I turned to see Jasper pulling back from Alice with a satisfied smile on his face. Alice grinned up at him before turning back to her porridge.

"Good morning, Ben." Jasper smiled at me.

"Good morning." I replied, eyeing them warily, afraid that they might kiss again.

There was something about the way that Jasper and Alice were when they were kissing that made me feel as though I was not only witnessing a kiss, I was witnessing the _love_ that they had for each other.

It seemed far too personal to be privy to.

Emmett moaned loudly as he shoveled down the porridge in the bowl.

"I'm so hungry," He said, his voice slightly muffled due to the amount of food he was attempting to scarf down in one go.

Jasper rolled his eyes at him and slid his own bowl of porridge across the table towards Emmett.

Emmett murmured a 'thanks' before returning to his task of finishing off the first bowl of porridge.

I frowned at Jasper. "He eats two bowls of porridge?"

"Are you kidding? He'd eat five if we had enough." Jasper said, sounding slightly disgusted.

I glanced down at my own bowl of porridge. I could barely finish one!

"But...how...?" I trailed off watching Emmett practically inhaling down the second bowl of porridge.

"Don't question it," Jasper advised.

"What about you, though?" I asked him, realizing that he had sacrificed his bowl of porridge for Emmett.

He shrugged, his blonde hair falling in to his eye. "I'll be fine waiting until lunch. Emmett, on the other hand, will moan and bitch like an old lady. I can tell you it's not a pretty sight to have a two-hundred pound man stomping around deck and growling at everyone who comes near him. He almost broke the wheel last time..."

I stared wide-eyed at Emmett.

"But, Jazz," Alice frowned, "That doesn't mean you don't have to eat...I'm sure they can spare some porridge for you."

"Great, Jasper," Emmett looked up from his bowl, glaring, "Make me look like the bad guy."

"We're pirates! We're all bad guys." Jasper laughed.

Emmett rolled his eyes and licked the bowl clean before placing it on the table and leaning back. He sighed contentedly, rubbing his stomach.

I had the strangest urge to laugh as I witnessed this huge, intimidating man leaning back on two legs of the chair. The chair groaned and the wooden legs were just threatening to snap.

"That was a good breakfast." Emmett sighed, rubbing his stomach.

Alice laughed at Emmett's insatiable appetite and pushed the left-overs of her bowl towards Jasper.

"You have to eat." She said, firmly.

Jasper shot her an exasperated look. "I'll be fine. _You_ need to eat, love."

Alice rolled her eyes. "My chores are inside. You're going to be out in the sun the whole day. You need the energy."

With that, she kissed him on the cheek and got up.

"I'm going to get started," She smiled at us, "I'll see you all at lunch." "You have chores too?" I asked her, surprised.

It seemed that Edward liked Alice very much. Why would he make a lady work?

Alice smiled, amused. "Everyone chips in, Ben. A ship doesn't run itself, you know."

I watched as Alice bid us goodbye once more and left the galley.

I turned to Emmett and Jasper, surprised to see them staring at me.

They glanced at each other, communicating silently before turning back to me.

"Alice would kill me if she knew I was reminding you of what happened yesterday," Jasper sighed, rubbing his hand over his face, "But I have to ask: Are you okay? Edward wasn't too hard on you, was he?"

My eyes widened at the question.

Frankly, I was touched that they cared enough about me to ask the question.

It seemed that everyone on this ship except the captain had taken a liking to me.

"I'm fine." I said immediately.

I didn't want them to think that I was some kind of coward that couldn't stand up for her-himself.

Emmett and Jasper chuckled at my firm response.

"Just a question, lad, don't worry." Emmett grinned.

"Is," I hesitated, biting my lip. _Should I ask?_ Jasper raised an eyebrow and I sighed. "Is the captain that brusque with everyone?"

I knew that I was far too interested in the handsome captain for my own good, but I couldn't help it.

Something about him kept drawing me in.

He was a series of contradictions. Everyone seemed to think the same thing about him.

He was volatile and angry, but for a good reason.

And for some even stranger reason, everyone still seemed to like him.

Jasper spooned up a mouthful of Alice's porridge and chewed, eyeing me thoughtfully.

"He's brusque with people he doesn't know," He said slowly.

Emmett nodded in agreement. "You can never trust anyone when you're a pirate."

I frowned. "But how can you learn to trust someone if you don't even give them a chance?"

Jasper smiled wryly. "Some people are just like that. Edward is a shining example of what a pirate's life can do to a man. It makes them suspicious of everyone."

"He's not suspicious of you or Emmett." I pointed out.

"That's 'cause we've been there since the beginning." Emmett said, leaning forward. He seemed to be very interested in the conversation. "We were with him before any of us had even set foot on a ship, weren't we Jasper?"

Jasper laughed. "Ay. Remember the days we spent puking our guts out while we got adjusted to the sea?"

Emmett grimaced. "Worst days of my life, I'd wager."

"Even the captain?" I grinned, imagining the strong, intimidating captain not being able to keep his food down.

"'_Even'_? He was the worst!" Emmett laughed. "Scrawny, scared little kid stumbling around the deck whilst doing his chores. He'd never let anyone help him, though. Stubborn as a mule even back then."

"Scrawny?" I repeated, skeptically. "The captain was scrawny when he was young?"

I sincerely doubted that the tall, broad captain had ever been _scrawny_...it just did not seem possible.

Emmett nodded emphatically and Jasper chuckled.

"Even scrawnier than the scarecrow over here." Emmett grinned at Jasper who immediately stopped chuckling and scowled.

I laughed loudly, enjoying the playful feeling that Emmett and Jasper brought.

"The crew seems to really like him. The captain, I mean," I clarified. "He's so strict with them, but they still like him."

"'Course he's strict with them." Jasper said, breezily. "Pirates have to run a tight ship. Compared to some other pirates, Edward is actually _better_. The crew knows what they're in for and they know what to expect."

Emmett nodded in agreement. "A more loyal crew, you couldn't find."

I sat back in the chair, observing the room as many of the men got up and left the galley.

"They've got chores to do." Jasper said, answering my unasked question.

My eyes flickered between Emmett and Jasper.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what is it that you do?" I asked, leaning forward.

"Sometimes we monitor the crew, make sure that they're doing their job and doing it well," Emmett replied.

"But mostly we help the captain. It's up to him what we do, really." Jasper added.

"We plot out where we're going next and give him advice here and there." Emmett said with a grin.

I smiled at his boyish personality.

"So where are we going next?" I asked.

"We're heading east for a while because there're a lot of merchant ships there. Running a bit low on gold and they're an easy target." Emmett grinned.

I gasped when I realized what he was saying.

We were heading east so that they could steal gold from a merchant ship?

Jasper glared at Emmett and turned to me.

"You knew this was coming, Ben." Jasper said slowly.

I nodded, looking down. My stomach was churning uncomfortably.

Jasper was right. I knew that pirates couldn't be all sunshine and daises. It's just that Emmett and Jasper had seemed so welcoming...this was just an uncomfortably harsh reality check.

Emmett opened his mouth to say something, but Jasper shot him a look, effectively silencing him.

"Anyway, Edward wanted us to tell you that he wished to give you your chores for the day personally." Jasper informed me.

I glanced up at him in surprise.

_Personally?_

Was that code for finish off what he had almost done yesterday and run me through with that dagger of his?

"Don't worry, lad," Emmett said, slapping my shoulder encouragingly. The gesture propelled me forward and knocked the breath out of me. "You'll be fine."

"Thanks, Emmett," I gasped, shooting him a weak smile.

"Emmett, Jasper." A sharp voice echoed through the galleys and I saw the captain approach us out of the corner of my eye.

I looked up to observe him fully and wanted to hit myself for thinking that he was incredibly attractive even with that scowl on his face.

His eyes were still narrowed and his shoulders tense, but his face was slightly less severe as he looked at me.

_Progress._

"If you're done talking with Ben, I'd like to show him his chores for the day." He said slowly and quietly.

It seemed that his voice had a quality that few had. It had the ability to carry across a room and enchant every single one of it's occupants.

"Of course." Jasper said, nodding at me.

"Goodbye, then." I said quietly to Emmett and Jasper.

I got up and looked towards the captain to see where he would lead me.

"Follow me." He said.

He turned on his heel and led me out of the room. I turned before we left to see Emmett and Jasper watching us leave with apprehensive looks on their faces.

I tried to quell the part of me that was shaking with nerves.

I had to remember what I had resolved to this morning.

I was not going to yield to the captain.

I was not going to show my fear and give him what he wanted.

He led me down the corridor silently. His walk was fast and confident. It was incredibly graceful for a man as big as him.

I frowned when he walked right past the door that led upstairs on to the deck.

I wanted to ask him where we were going, but I decided not to push my luck.

We passed my room and Alice's room and soon we were at the other end of the ship.

_Where is he taking me?_

I was seriously wondering if he was going to gut me as soon as we were far enough away from everyone so that they wouldn't hear my screams.

Suddenly he came to a stop in front of a door on the right.

I observed him curiously as he opened the door and led me inside.

I walked inside, more and more apprehensive as the time went by.

The captain turned to me, smirking and effectively blocking my view of the room.

I had to say, even though the smirk was just as evil it was a nice change from the usual 'scowl and glare'.

"Today, you'll be washing the sheets," He told me.

He stepped aside so that I could see several buckets spread out across the room holding either sheets or water. There was a small cabinet in the side of the room and thin ropes hung from the ceiling, spreading from one side of the room to the other.

My eyes widened but I refused to let my jaw drop.

_Washing the sheets_?

I was on a pirate ship and so far the jobs I had been given were to mop the floors and wash the sheets.

"Don't look so surprised," The captain said walking towards the buckets of sheets and lifting them upside down so that they fell on the ground. He looked up at me, his emerald-green eyes piercing. "Someone's got to do it."

He strutted towards me, that damn smirk back on his face. "Better you than me."

I met his glare unflinchingly.

His eyes were narrowed once more and I'm sure he would scare anyone, but I was not going to let him win this battle.

I glared right back at him.

His brows furrowed and he stepped back, staring at me with a confused look on his face.

He shook his head and backed out of the room.

"Get working." He commanded gesturing to the sheets that were now lying limply in a pile in the middle of the room.

Without a second glance towards me he hurried back down the corridor, leaving me with several buckets of water, a bunch of dirty sheets, and not a single idea what to do.

"Okay, Bella," I took a deep breath and knelt down, "Think."

I pulled a bucket of water towards me and picked up one of the sheets.

I bit my lip.

_What now?_

I vaguely remembered seeing some of the servants at home cleaning the sheets with water outside. Do I just dunk the sheets in the water then?

I shrugged. _It's worth a shot._

I scrunched up the fabric and carefully submerged it in the water, making sure to switch sides when the water threatened to overflow the bucket.

When the whole fabric had been dampened, I pulled it out, satisfied.

_Great._.._now what?_

I furrowed my brows and looked around.

"You can leave them there." A low voice said from behind me.

I dropped the cloth in surprise and whirled around to see the tall man that had gotten drunk on the first night - Seth - standing in front of me.

He smiled. "Jasper sent me down here. He thought you'd need help."

He walked forwards and plucked the wet sheets from the ground.

"I-uh-really, it's okay. I can manage." I stammered out, embarrassed that Jasper had felt the need to send someone down to help me.

"No, it's okay. I finished my chores," Seth assured me. "And you look like you could use some help."

"I'm sorry." I said, blushing.

"Ah, it's okay lad. We were all there once." He grinned at me.

I smiled up at him in thanks.

His face was boyish and young - almost too young. What was a boy as young as him doing on a pirate ship?

"I'm Seth." He introduced himself, sticking his hand out for me to shake.

I smiled. "Pleased to meet you Seth. I'm Ben."

He furrowed his brows and chuckled. "No need to be so formal."

I sighed. "It's a habit."

Seth smiled and turned his attention back to the sheets.

"What you need to do is squeeze out the water." He said, picking up a spare bucket and placing it in front of him. He unraveled the sheets and twisted it tightly. I watched as water spilled from the fabric and in to the bucket. "Then you can leave it to dry."

He walked over to a cabinet in the side of the room and pulled out some clips.

He took one side of the fabric and clipped it on to the edge and the rope that was hanging upon him. He did the same with the other side and smiled.

"See? Easy."

I gaped at him. "It's brilliant."

"Well, thank you very much." He laughed and bowed mockingly. "Though not my concept, I'm afraid."

I laughed along with him. He reminded me a bit of Eric.

"I think I can do it now that I know how," I smiled.

"I'll stay with you for a while. Those are a lot of sheets." He gestured to the large pile sitting in the corner.

"Thank you."

He nodded and kneeled down next to me, grabbing a bucket of his own and one of the sheets.

As we worked our way through the sheets he told me a lot about the men on the ship.

He told me about Paul, his older brother who loved to pick on him but was a master with a sword, and Embry, and Quill his silly friends who loved more than anything to create chaos.

I laughed with him as he described the kinds of pranks that they had played on the other members of the crews.

Jonathan, the man that I had met this morning was apparently a father-like figure for all of them and seemed to be one of the few crew members that was amused by their pranks.

But by now, the rest of the crew had learned to expect nothing else from them, apparently.

It was fascinating to hear about the life that they had created aboard this ship.

It was so carefree and almost as if the crew was a family.

It was so different and unusual for me...it endeared me towards them.

_Caring for pirates_, I mused as I squeezed the water out of the sheets, _what would Mother say?_

I felt a wicked smile fill my face as I thought of Mother's face turn that hideous shade of red.

Well, if it upset her then it was one less flaw I could find with this situation.

"Seth," I began, "Jasper told me that we were heading east so that we could get more gold." I paused to gage his expression. "What can you tell me about what happens when you..."

"Pillage and plunder?" Seth asked, an amused grin on his face. "It really depends on the type of ship we choose. If it's a merchant ship it usually goes pretty smoothly. They're too scared to put up much of a fight. We lower planks on to their ship, we go aboard, scare them in to giving us the gold, and get back on to our ship."

"You don't kill anyone?" I asked, surprised.

"Not unless they put up a fight," Seth explained, "Now when we get in to a fight with another pirate ship, that's when it starts to get ugly. We haven't gotten in to one for a while now because of the reputation Captain Edward has built up for himself, but it _does_ happen."

"How ugly does it get?" I asked, wincing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer to that question.

"Guns and swords are actually put to use," Seth said, getting up to hang his sheet, "And every crew member has to fight."

"Every?" I suddenly felt sick.

"Every." Seth affirmed, "We need all the men we can get."

"What about Alice?" I asked, suddenly. She surely wouldn't be required to fight...

"Ms. Alice is usually hidden away. Not that she likes it," Seth chuckled, "She puts up a massive fight, but she listens to Jasper eventually."

I smiled. I knew that Jasper would never approve of putting Alice in the line of fire.

My stomach still felt queasy at the thought of being required to fight.

I was sure that I couldn't _lift_ a sword, let alone wield it.

"Seth," I said slowly, "I don't know how to use a sword."

Seth turned around, a surprised look on his face.

"Really?" He gaped, "At all?"

I shook my head. "I've never needed to know."

Seth shook his head in amazement. "Well, you won't need to know for a while. If we're heading east, we'll only be attacking merchant ships. You're safe for a little while longer. But not knowing how to use a sword..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Is it that bad?" I asked, anxiously.

"It's unusual." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, "It's definitely something you'll want to learn soon."

I nodded, wondering how on earth I'd learn.

I sighed and settled back down on the ground to wash the remaining sheets.

I thought that I was prepared for this, but now I wasn't so sure.

~•~

**EPOV:**

"We're going to need to watch our backs," Jasper said, sitting down in the chair next to the desk. "The Guards may be on our tail after that incident in port."

Emmett snorted. "Please. Like they could catch up with us..."

I leaned forward, studying the map in front of me, rubbing my chin thoughtfully.

"It doesn't matter," I said firmly to Jasper, "Even if they're on our tail, it's nothing we haven't dealt with before. _Twilight_ is the fastest ship on the ocean. Emmett is right; there's no way they're catching up with us."

"Might want to speed up just in case." Jasper said, always the careful one.

"No," Emmett said, walking towards us, "We're already heading east faster than we should be and I heard there's a big storm coming."

I frowned and straightened up.

A storm would put a big dent in my plans to head east as fast as possible.

"Maybe we can head to port before then?" Jasper asked, standing up and walking over to us.

His brows were furrowed and I knew he was worried.

Storms in this part were always heavy and could ruin a good ship. We needed to be in full form if we were going to rob a ship.

I highly doubted we'd be nearly as intimidating if we had ripped sails and severed ropes.

We might have to actually kill a couple men to prove how serious we were.

"Nothing can outrun an ocean's storm." I said quietly, trailing my index finger slowly across the route that would lead towards port.

"This is great, just great." Jasper muttered, shaking his head, "We'll be ripped to pieces out there!"

I turned to Emmett. "How big?" I asked him.

"Big." He nodded. "We'll need to secure the riggings and watch the wind."

I sighed, rubbing my temple. "We'll have a lot of damage regardless. We'll need to tell the crew soon. They'll need to be prepared for the repairs we'll have to do. We'll need every man we can get. Every _capable_ man anyway."

I grit my teeth as I was reminded of the incompetent, young _boy_ that was currently aboard my ship.

It was ridiculous. How could I have let Jasper persuade me in to letting him stay?

The boy couldn't even _mop_! I'd wager he wasn't doing any better with the sheets.

He was just a spoiled little kid.

"He's a little kid, Edward," Jasper sighed, rubbing his temple, "You can be a little less harsh on him."

"Going easy on him won't do him any good." I replied, glaring, "He's spoiled enough as it is."

Emmett let out an exasperated groan. "Edward, quit taking your anger at the world out on a child."

"I'm not angry at the world." I growled.

No, I was _not_ angry at the world. I was angry at one specific person.

...I just didn't know who that person was. But I would find out.

"You pulled your dagger out on a fifteen-year old!" Jasper said fixing me with a stern gaze.

"He shouldn't have talked back to a pirate." I shrugged, pulling out the dagger in question and running my finger along the blunt edge.

"Let it go, Edward!" Emmett said, shaking his head.

"You won't even give him a chance!" Jasper glared.

"Why do you care so much about him?" I asked incredulously.

"He's just like us, don't you get it?" Jasper exclaimed, "You keep thinking that he's a spoiled brat, but you don't even know him. Who knows what happened to his family? He was out on the streets alone. He was just scared, Edward. I may be a pirate, but I'm not heartless. And neither are you."

I stayed silent, simply staring at my finger as it ran along the edge of my dagger.

Jasper took a deep breath. "Let him learn about being on a ship. Like it or not, I _will_ teach him about everything tomorrow. He's on a pirate ship and he needs to know. All I ask is that you allow him to."

I looked up at Jasper who was glaring furiously at me.

I'd always thought that Emmett was the most..._caring_ out of the three of us, but I knew that Jasper would always come in for a close second.

I nodded reluctantly.

Jasper let out a large breath. "Good."

Emmett grinned and shook his head at us before getting up and heading for the door.

Jasper followed him and soon the door closed with a click behind them.

I knew what Jasper was saying. He _did_ remind me of us when we first came aboard a ship.

Scared, confused, but with a fierce spirit.

But I felt forced to hate him for the simple reason that...he came from the one place I despised more than anything.

I couldn't trust anyone from there and I wasn't willing to.

Despite what I promised to Jasper, I knew that with Ben...I'd have to keep my guard up.

**AN: ...(That's me being absolutely speechless) The response to this story continues to BLOW MY MIND! I can't believe the positive response this story has gotten despite the fact that it's still at it's early stages.**

**Thank you so much to all those who reviewed! You guys rock: scareDcat, Vanquish13, shaz308, sujari6, takada87, bc, KhristenHartgrove, albesca callimir, Anna, LiLi82, ADADancer, , Kiokins91, amberkey, asdfghjkl, SarahCullenxxx, LuckiLuci, Trainspotter1440, Darcy Knightley, Nissa-Cullen, and frayedbristles**

**You are all so amazing and make my day with your kind words. It really encourages me to write. **

**So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Reviews make me update faster and the next chapter is going to be...interesting. ;)**

**M-J**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

**BPOV:**

"Come on, Ben," Jasper urged, roughly thrusting his sword against mine. His forehead was coated with sweat under his blonde hair, however he looked not _nearly_ as tired as I felt.

The clang of metal echoed throughout the room, followed by an exasperated sigh that escaped my lips.

From the minute I had awoken, I knew that today would not be as easy-going as the last two had been.

Instead of waking to the sunlight filtering in through the small circular window in my room, I had been shaken awake by none other than Jasper.

The lack of natural light in the room had been a testament to how early he had woken me.

My eyelids felt as though lead was placed on top of them and my limbs weren't willing to move. Jasper, on the other hand had a bright smile on his face and a determined look in his eyes.

His blonde hair was lying perfectly and he looked far more chipper than anyone had a _right_ to this early in the morning.

"You had best make it a practice to wake up early," He had told me as he passed me a damp washcloth for my face. "More time for everything."

I could only sigh in relief over the fact that I had kept my wig and bindings on the previous night. I sent a up silent prayer of thanks for small mercies.

Not letting me rest for a minute, he had led me up to the fairly empty galleys and pushed a bowl of porridge in to my hands.

I wasn't quite sure what he was doing, waking me up so early...it was unnerving.

It made me think that the captain was devising a plan to torture me.

But why was Jasper executing it? I thought he had liked me.

"You need to learn all about being on a pirate ship. You've had it easy so far, but it only gets harder, I'm afraid." He had replied when I questioned why exactly I was up so early. "I'm going to help you, but you need to be willing to put in the effort."

I sighed and ate my porridge in a half-asleep daze.

I wasn't sure what exactly 'learning all about being on a pirate ship' entailed, but I was sure that it would be mopping floors and washing sheets.

But as the sun rose, and I finished my porridge, my apprehension gave way to excitement.

Now that I had some food in me and I had wiped the sleep from my eyes, I was far more alert and open to what the day had in store for me.

I was anxious to see what Jasper had planned...I was also anxious to prove myself.

I didn't want to be weak and oblivious.

So when Jasper led me to his room and handed me a sharp, shining sword, I could practically feel my eyes light up and my heart began to pound furiously.

Jasper had smiled.

"That's a first." He looked amused.

"What's a first?" I asked as I surveyed the sword, hesitantly reaching out for it.

"Your expression," Jasper replied with a small smile. "You're the first man to smile while he has a sword pointing at him."

He twirled it around in his grip and threw it up in the air. He caught it expertly so that the handle was facing me instead.

"First rule," He said in a loud voice, his eyes flashing. "Never reach for a sword that's pointing at you sharp-edge first."

I looked up at him, wide-eyed and surprised at his suddenly commanding aura.

He shot me a wry smile and shrugged as though to say 'go with it'.

I grinned and accepted the sword, my eyes widening when my arm felt the full weight of the sword.

I let out a small gasp and quickly secured my grip on the sword with both hands.

I pulled it up just before the tip of the sword touched the ground.

I heard Jasper chuckle softly above me.

"Second rule," Jasper said, almost mockingly as he reached for his own sword, "Never underestimate your opponent."

I raised an eyebrow at him as he raised his sword up right between my eyes with seemingly little effort on his part.

I stepped back quickly to avoid being jabbed with the sharp metal, all while admiring his perfect stance with the sword.

I was truly glad that he was going to be teaching me.

"How is my _sword_ my opponent?" I asked, forcing myself to match his stance. I raised the sword as high as I could - his chest.

I smiled triumphantly at him.

Jasper smiled wickedly back. "Oh, you just wait. It will be."

And so it was.

After what felt like _hours_,the muscles in my arms and shoulders were aching to the point where I wished there was some way I could simply...take them off.

Never in my life had I felt so completely exhausted.

It was an all-consuming fatigue that I simply hadn't been exposed to.

"You need to know how to defend yourself above everything, so that's what I'll teach you today." Jasper told me as he placed his sword down on a table. "The best way to learn how to defend yourself is to experience how it feels to be attacked and be purely on the defense. It's tough, I won't lie."

I groaned audibly and Jasper grinned.

"Don't worry, lad. You can do it."

He paused and his brows furrowed as he took in my stance.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning. I subtly lifted my sword arm higher and shuffled my feet.

I hadn't had a lot to go off of, so I just mimicked what I had seen in his stance the best I could.

I knew it wasn't perfect, but was perfect posture really what Jasper was going for?

Jasper walked behind me and kicked the inside of my feet, gently spreading them farther.

"You need to make sure that your feet are always spread. Comfortably, of course," He added as he walked around to the front so that he could survey my posture.

He smiled, so I guessed he was pleased with the adjustments.

"Is it really that important to have good posture during a fight?" I asked, slightly desperately.

I knew that I shouldn't be questioning the teacher, but I couldn't resist.

This new stance had my arms aching even more, for some reason, even though the adjustments had been to my feet.

Jasper laughed, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement.

"You sound a lot like us when we were young." He informed me, picking up his own sword, "You don't need to concentrate _too _much on having good posture, in fact you might want to loosen up your back a little bit; it's too stiff. But spreading your legs is another thing entirely. If you don't spread them, then you're not as steady. It makes it easier for your attacker to knock you off your feet.

"Remember," Jasper said strictly, his eyes narrowing, "You _never_ want to get knocked down in a fight. You may think that it's obvious, but you'll be surprised how many people forget to keep their balance in a real fight. Once you're on your back, the fight might as well be over."

I took a deep breath, my stomach churning in dread at the thought that in a few days I could be in one of those fights.

I nodded and spread my legs a little further, balancing out my weight.

Jasper picked up his sword and the onslaught of attacks ensued.

I had lost count of how much time we had spent and how many blows I had had to parry.

Every clash of his sword against mine rang loudly in my ear and made my head throb.

Only now could I understand what Jasper had meant when he talked about being purely on the defense.

Every step I took and every jerk of my arm caused pain to shoot through every muscle and vein.

Forget balance, I was now at the point where it was all I could do just to keep my sword raised.

Jasper raised an eyebrow as I sighed and stepped back, signaling that I needed a break.

The minute he lowered his sword, I stumbled backwards on to the nearest chair, dropping my sword on to the ground with a loud clang.

Beads of sweat gathered under my wig uncomfortably, the occasional drip falling slowly down my face.

I wiped furiously at my skin, pushing away the sweat.

Jasper shook his head at me.

"You're only fifteen! How is it that you're tired already?" Jasper asked, sounding incredulous.

"_Already_?" I repeated, matching his incredulous tone.

I knew that he was a pirate and fighting was a common occurrence for him, but I had no idea how _anyone_ could go on fighting for so long.

It wouldn't even be possible to explain that I _wasn't_ fifteen and that the only manual labor I had done was walking around the lavish gardens of our manor with Mother's high society friends.

Jasper let out a sigh and dropped his own sword. He walked over to where I sat and bent down.

He looked up at me and shook his head.

"Listen, Ben: I'm not only doing this so that you know how to protect yourself and so that you can survive on your own. I'm doing this so that you can prove Edward wrong about all those assumptions he made about you."

I glanced up at him, my attention captured.

His expression was serious, but there was a glint of mischief behind his eyes.

"He's too sour and bitter for his own good," Jasper continued, "He doesn't realize that a couple years ago, we were in the exact same position you are. I'm doing this so that you can prove to him that you're tougher than you look."

I stared at him, surprised.

Was he really doing this so that I could prove the captain wrong?

I knew how much I wanted to show everyone that I could do much more than they expected, but could I?

I not only wanted to prove myself to the captain and the crew, but also to my parents. I knew that they would never know - hopefully - what I had become, but it was a silent win over their reign.

I remembered the feeling of success and _freedom_ that had come over me when I had escaped from my parent's manor that night.

The feeling was indescribable.

I had taken all the insults that my parents had carelessly spewed and flung it behind me along with my past life.

It was comical how my life had changed since that night.

Whether for the better or for the worse, I wasn't quite sure yet, but of one thing I was sure.

I was _never_ going to go back there.

_Then buck up, Bella._

Jasper smiled broadly as he saw my eyes spark with interest.

"Now what say you get off your bony arse and fight like a real man?"

I grinned.

With a new-found motive, I was able to block more and more of Jasper's attacks.

"Good." Jasper encouraged as I grabbed the sword with both hands and blocked a blow that had been aimed for my head.

Sweat was now pouring down my face and my arms were aching and begging for me to stop, but I refused to quit.

I could just imagine the smug looks upon my parents' face and that was something that I simply wasn't willing to face.

_I wouldn't face it_, I assured myself as the clang of metal against metal echoed throughout the room over and over again.

I blocked a swing and quickly, seeing a gap in Jasper's concentration, swung upwards.

Jasper stepped back swiftly and blocked the hit at the very last moment, but his eyes widened in surprise at my initiative.

I smiled at him.

"Rule number two, Jasper." I reminded him smugly.

He barked out a surprised laugh.

"Well done." A deep voice came from the other side of the room.

Both our heads swiveled around quickly to see none other than the captain leaning against the doorway.

His bronze-colored hair was as chaotic as ever, yet somehow managed to exude a careless elegance.

Unwillingly, I found myself entranced by the single lock that fell in front of his bright green eyes.

It was sick, the effect this man had over me. He had been nothing but evil towards me, yet I was still drawn towards him.

He was undeniably attractive and had he been at one of the Galas back home and dressed in proper attire, he would no doubt have all the women hanging off his arm.

My stomach churned uncomfortably at that thought for some odd reason.

He raised an eyebrow at me and immediately I felt the heat rise to my cheeks.

I had been staring unashamedly at him. It was something that I never did. Allison had always been the one to subtly ogle men at the Galas.

This was different.

_He was different..._

My heart thumped nervously in my chest when I realized that he must have seen me practicing.

_'Well done'_, he had said.

_Had he meant it?_

His arms were crossed against his chest and despite his positive comment, his eyes were unimpressed.

He lowered his head in acknowledgement towards Jasper and simply stared at me with that raised eyebrow.

"Well?" He gestured impatiently towards our swords, "Don't let me stop you."

Jasper smirked at his friend and nodded at me.

"Show him." He whispered with a small wink.

I smiled nervously back at him.

Jasper took a few steps back and raised his sword in preparation.

I took a deep, calming breath as my nerves washed over me. Not only was this the time to prove myself to the captain, this was for all the hard work that Jasper and I had put in the past few hours.

Jasper had taken the time and the effort to help me, and I didn't want to let him down...

He was one of the few friends that I had gained on this ship and I didn't think I could handle disappointing him.

I looked up at Jasper to see him shooting Edward confident smirks.

_He_ believed in me.

The fact was encouraging and I steadied myself, spreading my feet just as Jasper had taught me.

"Ready?" Jasper asked quietly.

I nodded, raising my sword.

Jasper smiled.

His sword came down swiftly to my right. I quickly blocked it only to be assaulted once again as his sword came down at my left.

His blows this time around were far quicker and had more strength behind them.

He was putting me through my paces, and I knew it was so that the captain could hopefully see what I was capable of.

I was surprised and somewhat proud.

I was happy that Jasper thought I could handle what he was throwing at me right now.

Jasper's eyes met mine and they flashed impishly.

I raised an eyebrow in question, but before I could do anything else, he drew his sword back and fired four blows in quick succession; left, right, down, and up.

I wasn't sure whether it was reflex, or perhaps I was really getting better, but I managed to meet his sword each time.

My eyes widened in shock as Jasper drew back, a huge smile on his face.

I lowered my sword and looked up at Jasper, my eyes quite possibly as wide as saucers.

His smile grew impossibly further before a loud laugh burst out of his lips.

I felt a smile of my own grow upon my face as I giggled.

Jasper turned to face the captain with a smug look on his face.

"Not so clumsy now, is he?" Jasper smirked.

The captain's face was stoic as he pushed himself off of the doorway and walked slowly over to us.

"He's too stiff," He said in a low voice, "You're fighting for your life, not dancing at a Ball." His green eyes were penetrating as he spoke. "Every move you make, everything you do has to be unpredictable. But you - your face gives away everything."

I felt my heart sink.

It must have shown on my face - ironically - because Jasper immediately stiffened.

"He's a child, Edward." Jasper glared at the captain, "It's his first day with a sword and he's made damn good progress."

"_Passable_ progress." The captain shrugged.

"That's enough." Jasper said firmly, "For today, that's enough. He'll get better. He's fifteen and he's skinnier than any of us were at that age. It's a wonder he can hold up that sword, and if-"

"Let me fight you."

Silence followed my request.

My eyes were narrowed and my fists clenched. My demand had been directed towards the captain who was now staring at me with narrowed eyes and an apprehensive expression.

I wasn't quite sure what I was thinking, challenging a _pirate captain_ to a sword fight, but I wasn't going to let him stand there and diminish what I had done today.

I had been truly proud of myself until he had criticized what I had accomplished.

Anger had reared its ugly head within me along with the desire to prove myself.

Yes, I was going to lose the fight.

Yes, I would probably get hurt doing it.

But I wasn't going to let him assume that he knew a single thing about me.

Jasper was gaping at me with a look that told me he clearly thought I had lost my mind.

There was a good chance that I had.

"Are you insane?" Jasper finally managed.

"Probably." I admitted.

Jasper stepped forward, his eyes disbelieving. "Ben, you're not _nearly _ready."

I frowned. "You're the one who wanted me to prove myself to him." "Yes, but not _now_." Jasper whispered furiously.

"Let it go, Jasper," The captain commanded. He stepped forward, his eyes curious as he looked at me; almost amused. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, the corner of his mouth twitching as though he was fighting a smile.

"He wants a fight. Let him have it, then."

"Barking mad, all of you." Jasper muttered, running his hand through his hair.

The captain smirked and reached out for Jasper's sword.

Jasper shook his head at me one last time before handing the captain his sword.

Before he stepped out of the way he glared straight at the captain and whispered something furiously to him.

I strained to hear what he said, but it was too quiet.

The captain rolled his eyes but nodded as Jasper walked over to the side of the room.

He smiled at me encouragingly.

I almost smiled back despite the anger that was coursing through me.

I knew that despite the fact that he thought me insane, he wanted me to be able to achieve what I wanted - show the captain what I could do.

I returned my gaze to meet that of the captain's.

His green eyes were piercing and his smirk slowly faded as he stared at me.

HIs eyes narrowed in concentration and his lips thinned in to a severe line.

His face was completely emotionless and I admired the look of intensity that took over his face as he raised his sword.

His arm never wavered as he raised the heavy sword.

It was as though it was as light as a feather.

Suddenly, without warning his arm shot out and I had to jump back to avoid being hit by the sword.

I barely had time to grasp and lift my sword before the next hit was aimed at my shoulder.

The strength behind each attack left me winded, barely able to recover fast enough to block the next. I knew that Jasper was holding back when he fought with me, but if _this_ was what it would be like in a real fight I didn't have much hope at all.

Not only was there strength behind each hit, the hits were fast and agile. It was as though each hit were nothing for the captain.

My feet were forced backwards with each assault, as I gasped for breath, unable to pull myself together.

I found myself jumping out of the way of many of his blows instead of raising my sword to meet his.

I truly wanted to prove myself to him - him and Jasper, but I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.

Blow after blow rained down on me, my sword meeting his only at the very last second.

The captain's eye met mine and they flashed dangerously.

I gasped as my foot caught on something on the floor and I fell backwards.

Pain shot through my lower back as I hit the floor with a thump.

I winced, panting for breath as I looked up at the captain.

He was standing above me, his face still void of emotion.

His sword was near my throat, the sharp metal inches from my skin. It seemed I couldn't stop ending up in this position when I was with the captain.

"Predictable," He said quietly, "No impulsiveness at all in you. In a real fight you fight with your gut not with what you've learned."

He shook his head at me in disgust. "You won't last a second out there. Don't you understand? It's not a silly match or a game, it's your life. It all boils down to one second and one decision: are you willing to kill, or aren't you?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed.

_Kill?_

The captain smiled grimly and pulled his sword away from my neck.

"Then you're not ready." He shot me one last piercing glance before he walked over to Jasper and handed him his sword.

"I want to see you in my room." He muttered to him before striding out back in to the hallway.

Jasper sighed and shook his head as the captain left, dropping his sword before walking over to me.

He dropped to one knee and shot me a glance that said, _'I _did_ tell you so'_.

"Alright there?"

I grimaced and pushed myself in to a sitting position, rubbing at my back. "I've been better."

That was an understatement. My head felt foggy after the fight with the captain that couldn't have lasted more than two minutes. It felt like a lifetime, though.

I knew that what the captain had said was true.

It wasn't a game anymore and I knew that if I didn't learn how to fight and fight well before there was a fight with another pirate ship, there was a strong chance I could be killed.

What use was there in escaping to live your own life if you're killed at the first sign of a scuffle?

"Ah, it's okay," Jasper said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It really isn't that bad that you lost to Edward. No one's been able to beat him since he was twelve."

_Why did that not surprise me?_

"Lost?" I let out a very un-ladylike snort. "I'm not sure that was even a _fight. _It was more like he fought and I stepped out of the way. A brick wall would've had a better chance...at least it's face wouldn't 'give away everything'."

Jasper smiled amusedly at me. "So you're a sore loser, eh? Good to know."

"I'm not a sore loser," I protested bitterly, "I just thought I made progress today."

"You did! You have!" Jasper let out a cry of exasperation. "Are you honestly going to take what Edward said to heart?"

"Well, his advice can't be bad, can it? I mean, he's obviously someone that can go handing it out."

I remembered his look of intense concentration while he fought.

_Yes, he definitely could go handing advice out_, I thought bitterly.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Forget him. Just focus on doing what you did today."

I sighed and nodded, rubbing my eyes wearily.

Jasper smiled and stood up, reaching out a hand for me to take.

I grabbed it and he yanked me up.

"Hey, Jasper?" I began hesitantly as Jasper bent down to retrieve my sword, "What the captain said...will I really have to kill people?"

Jasper got up slowly, taking his time as he placed the sword on his desk before he turned to me.

"There's a possibility," He admitted, "But it's not high," He added hastily as he saw my face fall, "Your first time, we'll try to look out for you. But it's something you should...at least get used to."

"So the captain's right, then. I'm going to have to learn how to fight in...those kind of situations." My voice was filled with dread, as was my stomach.

How could I look a man - any man - in the eye and take his life?

Would I even be able to?

Jasper sighed. "Listen, Ben, it can be hard at first, but after a while...it's just something you have to do."

For once, what he said didn't make me feel any better.

"Don't think about that right now, alright?" Jasper walked towards me, "I'll take you to Alice. Why don't you help her for a little bit? I think you've worked hard enough for today."

I nodded. I truly enjoyed talking to Alice and I was pretty sure I needed to right now...

She knew my secret and she was just a truly kind person. I was really glad that I had a friend like her.

Jasper smiled. "Come on, then. She'll probably be in the galleys about now."

His eyes lit up at the prospect at seeing little Alice and I smiled.

I followed him out of the room and towards the galley.

The hallways were fairly empty but as we passed the door that led on to the deck, I heard the noise of people working and talking so I knew it had to be about noon.

So we had spent a good few hours practicing.

Jasper opened the door to the galleys and led me inside.

There was laughing and voices inside and I instantly recognized one as Alice's.

There were only two people inside; Alice and a blonde-haired man.

Alice was standing next to the tall man and leaning over the counter as she picked up plates of tough-looking bread and placed them on a tray.

She turned and saw us approaching and a bright smile filled her face.

She skipped forward and hugged me tightly before turning to do the same to Jasper.

"What are you doing down here?" Alice asked Jasper, "I thought you were teaching him how to fight."

"I did." Jasper responded, shooting me a smile, "He did really well."

I blushed at the compliment and glanced towards the man that slowly slunk out of the room.

I furrowed my brows at his abrupt departure, shooting Alice a curious look.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

Alice sighed as she turned around and noticed he was no longer there.

"Yes, he's just a little shy. He doesn't really like strangers," Alice explained, "But he's an amazing cook. You should see what he can do when he has the right ingredients."

Jasper nodded furiously in agreement. "He's a bloody genius. He's new like you, you know?"

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

I got the feeling that because of the way that the captain acted towards me, he didn't let a lot of people on to the ship.

Alice rolled her eyes at Jasper. "New_er_. He came aboard a year ago, but he's the newest after you."

"So, Alice, Ben doesn't have much else to do so I thought he could help you out down here." Jasper said walking over to where the food sat in bowls and plates on the counter.

"Of course!" Alice said, brightly. "I'd love some help!"

She grabbed my hand and led me over to the counter.

"We're giving lunch out to the crew," She informed me, "Normally they would come down to the galleys, but we decided to hand it out since they're so busy today because of the storm coming."

I frowned. "Storm?"

There was a storm approaching?

My heart sped up in fear. Would the ship be okay?

I turned to Jasper who sighed.

"Yes, there's a storm heading our way. A damn big one too," Jasper said bitterly, shaking his head.

"But we'll be fine." Alice reassured me when she saw my expression. "We always are. Right?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at Jasper who nodded slowly.

I frowned at him when I realized that he was avoiding our gazes.

"I'll take this to Edward for you," Jasper told us as he grabbed two plates, "He wanted to talk to me anyway."

Before Alice or I could say anything, he hurried out the door of the galleys.

I turned to see Alice shaking her head.

"So much for reassurance," She muttered. "Don't listen to him. We've been through bad storms before. _Twilight_'s strong. She'll hold up."

I nodded but I couldn't shake the feeling of fear that was welling up in my stomach.

"So we're taking this to the rest of the crew?" I asked, trying to distract myself.

Alice nodded. "Everyone gets a bowl of soup and a piece of bread."

I helped her load up the food on trays before we set off on to the deck.

The sun was bright and shining down as always upon the ship. I looked out at the still water that was broken only by the waves the ship caused as it cut smoothly through the water.

I would never be able to deny the beauty of the ocean. It was calm, serene and provided a tranquility within that I wasn't quite able to explain.

The crew seemed fairly busy as they scurried across deck adjusting and tightening ropes.

Alice led me confidently across the deck as we handed out food to the ravenous crew.

They seemed immensely thankful and groaned in relief as they ate their food.

"They get worked far too hard when there's a storm," Alice shook her head in pity.

"Is this what you do everyday?" I asked Alice as we gave out the last plates of food.

"I help out in the galleys." Alice said, shrugging, "Not much else Jasper will allow me to do."

I giggled and Alice smiled.

Jasper was so protective of her...it was endearing.

"Ben!" I turned around to see Seth grinning at me.

I smiled back and he gestured for me to come over.

"So you've met Seth?" Alice asked as we walked over to where Seth was standing with two other men.

"He helped me wash the sheets yesterday."

"He's a nice kid." Alice smiled.

"Where have you been all morning, huh?" Seth demanded as Alice handed him some bread and soup.

"Jasper was teaching him how to use a sword." Alice grinned, "I've heard he's pretty good now."

She winked at me and I immediately blushed.

"Yeah?" Seth grinned, "Think you can take me on?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, I wouldn't need a sword for that." I responded, surprising myself.

Seth's eyes widened and he laughed loudly. Alice giggled and shook her head at me.

"He's got you figured." I heard someone snicker behind him.

I glanced behind Seth's tall stature curiously to see a slightly less tall man step forward.

He had pitch-black hair and bright brown eyes. His skin was bronzed - even more bronzed than Seth - and his body seemed to be too small for his personality as he fidgeted.

As he grinned at me, I figured that '_man'_ may not have been an accurate description for him.

His face hadn't lost it's boyish charm and his lanky frame seemed unstable almost as though he hadn't fully grown in to it yet.

"I'm Embry." He introduced himself.

"And I'm Quill."

I shrieked and jumped backwards, almost running in to Alice.

The voice had come from right behind me and as I whirled around to see who had spoken, I was met with another man who looked surprisingly like Embry.

He grinned at me as Quill, Seth, and Alice burst out laughing at my reaction.

"N-nice to meet you." I managed as I struggled to steady my heart.

Embry frowned. "You're right, Seth. He's far too polite. Don't worry," He told me, "We'll squish that right out of 'ya."

Quill agreed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Alice shot them a stern look. "Don't you go spoiling him, you hear? He doesn't need your influence."

Quill placed his hand on his chest and feigned a look of innocence.

"_Us_, Miss Alice? Spoil this young lad?" Quill closed his eyes and shook his head as though her words had pained him. "I'm hurt that you would even suspect us."

Alice rolled her eyes, trying her best to look annoyed, but her smile betrayed her.

"They're always like this." She muttered to me.

Quill was still feigning shock and hurt and Embry had now joined him, moaning loudly.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back my smile. A small giggle escaped from my lips as Embry reached out and placed a small kiss on the back of Alice's hand.

"We wouldn't _dream_ of spoiling him, Alice." He said with a grin.

Alice reached out and smacked him on the shoulder in response.

"You better keep them in line, Seth." She said strictly.

Seth's eyes flickered between his friends and Alice.

He grinned. "I'm sorry, Alice but you and I both know that that's not humanly possible."

I laughed at his response and he shrugged at me.

"I'll go put these trays back in the galleys, alright?" Alice told me, "I'll be back."

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" I asked, as I eyed the trays she was balancing in her arms.

"I'm sure. I suspect you've been worked hard enough today."

I grinned at her and nodded in thanks.

Alice shot Embry and Quill one last stern look before she headed below deck.

I turned back to see Embry and Quill eyeing me curiously.

"Why are you so thin?" Embry demanded.

My eyes widened at his blunt question.

"Yeah, how old are you?" Quill asked, eyeing me.

"I'm fifteen," I responded automatically. "I'm thin because...I ran away from home and hadn't eaten in a while when Jasper found me."

_There._ That was partially the truth, wasn't it?

I _had_ run away when Jasper had found me.

"Don't you both have things to do?" Seth asked them, raising an eyebrow.

It was clear that Seth was the calmest of the three and the voice of reason. It was interesting to see him take on an almost older brother role. He was so young himself that it seemed almost wrong, but as I saw Embry and Quill scowling up at him, I knew that they were inseparable.

Embry and Quill grumbled as they walked over to help one of the other crew members as he worked at the ropes.

"What are they doing?" I asked Seth, curiously.

"With the ropes?" Seth came to stand next to me. I nodded.

"They're tightening them. Storms can wreck havoc on the sails and the riggings. There's a strong chance that the ropes will snap sometime during the storm, anyway, but it never hurts to be safe."

"Will there be a lot of damages?" I questioned. I had heard about storms on the oceans and they seemed incredibly dangerous.

There would be large waves and strong wind...would _Twilight_ really be able to last through it?

"Nothing we can't fix." Seth reassured me with a grin.

"You don't seem scared for the storm." I observed with a frown.

"It would be stupid to be scared, lad," Seth shook his head, "What's fear going to do for anybody? It's better to be prepared and expect the worst."

I nodded watching as the crew worked.

It was interesting the lives that these people led.

Everything that happened was definitely up to chance. There was so much danger involved.

Storms, Guards, fellow pirates...it seemed their whole life was a game of luck.

I remembered what the captain had said this morning about nothing being a game and that it was your life that you had to worry about.

Perhaps that was why he was always so suspicious of everyone?

It seemed that this life had been pushed upon him since he was a child. Never had he been able to live as a normal child should, without a care.

"Ben!" Alice's voice behind me broke my thoughts.

I turned to see her walking towards me, without trays this time.

"Seth, do you mind if I steal Ben away?" She asked as she grabbed my arm.

Seth smiled. "Of course not. I better be getting back to work."

I smiled and bid him goodbye before Alice dragged me away from where all the crew members were working hard to make sure the ship would be safe in preparation for the storm.

She led me to the back of the ship where it was surprisingly silent.

I glanced around curiously. "Why isn't anyone back here?"

Alice shrugged. "Because there's not much work to be done back here. Especially not today."

She took a few steps forward before she plopped down on to the deck of the ship.

She glanced up at me. "Well, come on then."

She patted the space next to her.

I shot her an amused look before I sat down, wincing as the spot that had I hurt when I had fallen this morning hit the deck.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked, concerned.

"Fine, fine," I waved it off, sighing, "It's nothing."

Alice shook her head. "I never should have let Jasper teach you how to fight with a sword. I'm sorry." Alice said, looking remorseful.

My eyes widened. "No! Please don't be sorry. It was wonderful."

Alice shot me a disbelieving look.

"Well, fine not exactly - actually, it was tiring and possibly the most I've ever hurt, but it will help me later on."

Alice hesitated. "You know, Bella, you wouldn't have to learn how to fight if they knew that you were well...a girl."

I stared at her, shocked. "I can't do that! No one must know, Alice," I grabbed her hand in mine as I pleaded, "Please, please don't tell them."

Alice sighed and nodded.

"But I just don't get it," She said, sounding frustrated, "Why can't they know? You're already away from the Guards and the crew has grown fond of you. Jasper, Emmett, Seth, and me...we wouldn't let them catch you."

I shot her a wry smile. "And what about the captain? He's already suspicious of me. What happens when he realizes that I _did_ lie and trick him?"

"He wouldn't throw you off the ship!" Alice cried, her eyes earnest.

I took a deep breath and shook my head.

"Alice if he finds out that I'm a girl, I'll leave the ship myself."

Alice gaped at me. "Are you insane?" She asked me.

"Everyone seems to think so." I commented dryly.

"You can't leave the ship!" Alice cried, her arms flailing, "You won't survive out there! The Guards will find you or someone else will hurt you!"

"I'll find a way to be safe. My disguise lasted me this far...maybe it'll help me a little longer." I assured her, "I've been away from home longer than I thought I would be able to."

Alice sighed and shook her head. "You really have lost it."

"Can we talk about something else?" I asked desperately, "Something...happier?"

Alice grinned and nodded, scooting forward. "Tell me all about how it was when you were back home."

I furrowed my brows. "I said _happier_."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I know, silly. I wasn't talking about your parents. I was talking about in general...your Father was rich wasn't he? How did you live?"

Her eyes were sparkling with interest and I smiled at her innocence.

Yes, I supposed that if I hadn't seen how truly _horrible_ living as the daughter of a Baron could be, I would be excited to know as well.

"It's...interesting," I reasoned, "There's definitely a lot of interesting things about being a Baron's daughter."

"Did you have silver plates?" Alice asked eagerly, "And fancy dresses?"

I laughed. "Yes, we had silver plates and fancy dresses."

Alice sighed and closed her eyes. "It must be like a fairytale."

I frowned. "If it was like a fairytale, I wouldn't have left."

Alice opened her eyes and looked at me with a curious gaze. "You left because you were being forced to marry Lord Black, weren't you?"

"Yes," I admitted, "But also because I was so sick of..._everything_. My parents were so immersed in their needs to live up to society's vision of perfection that they forgot that we were a family.

"It's not like a fairytale, Alice. There're bad guys just like out here. Just in my life, they wear expensive clothes and attend fancy Galas."

Alice sighed and pouted. "You're such a killjoy." She smiled to let me know that she was kidding.

I laughed and shrugged.

Alice looked up at the sky and frowned.

Curious, I followed her gaze and saw that the sun was setting and the sky was now tinged with gray.

"The storm must be getting closer." Alice murmured.

I felt my heart thump loud in my chest.

"Alice, Ben."

We heard footsteps and turned to see Jasper approaching us.

"I want you both under deck," Jasper ordered as we stood. "Especially during the storm. You are not to come out on deck, understood?"

Alice nodded, but I frowned.

"Not even me?" I asked, feeling slightly hurt.

I thought that I had at least proved to Jasper that I wasn't to be underestimated.

Jasper sighed as he turned to me. "Those aren't my orders, Ben. They're Edwards."

_I should've guessed_, I thought bitterly.

"I don't want to see either of you on deck," Jasper commanded, directing his words more towards me, "This storm is going to be big and we can't afford men going overboard."

Jasper nodded towards us and turned on his heel, striding back towards the front of the ship.

I opened my mouth to protest but Alice shot me a look, shaking her head.

"Let's get under deck, alright?" Alice said, placing her hand on my shoulder, "It's better just to listen sometimes, Bella."

I sighed angrily, but acquiesced.

I took one last look at the stormy clouds that were covering the blue sky before I followed Alice below deck.

~•~

I was being shoved.

_Why was I being shoved?_

I frowned and shut my eyes tighter, burrowing myself in to the warmth of my sheets.

I tried to go back to sleep but it was too loud.

Thunder was rumbling and I heard faint shouts.

A sudden jerk of the ship caused my eyes to shoot open as I was flung from my bed to the ground.

I moaned in pain as I hit the ground for the second time that day.

The entire ship was rocking as though it was being tossed here and there.

My stomach churned uncomfortably with dread and I bit my lip.

I looked around my room where everything was shaking.

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

_I couldn't be alone in this._

I stood up and balanced myself as well as I could as I quickly grabbed my bindings and did my best to tighten them around my chest. I grabbed my wig and tucked my hair underneath it.

After making sure everything was in place I opened the door and clutched at the walls of the hallway as I made my way to Alice and Jasper's room.

Jasper must be up on deck, but Alice would be in her room, wouldn't she?

I knocked on their door and clutched at the doorway as the ship once again lurched to the side.

"Alice?" I said loudly, praying she would hear me.

I heard a muffled shriek and hurried footsteps behind the door.

The door swung open to reveal a nervous looking Alice.

She grabbed my hand and yanked me inside, shutting the door behind her.

"I was hoping you were awake." I said as I stumbled over to sit on her bed.

"I was about to go to your room," Alice said, bringing her fingers up to her teeth as she bit on them. "I hate being alone in this."

"Is Jasper up on deck?" I asked her.

Alice nodded and sighed. I was shocked to see tears welling up in her eyes.

"I hate this," Alice whispered, "I hate being alone during this, knowing that he's up there. What if he gets hurt?"

"Alice," I said in the most soothing voice I could muster through my shock, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Alice nodded and took a deep watery breath.

"I hate that we can't do anything." I said, bitterly.

I truly did.

The rest of the crew was up there, putting their lives at risk and I was simply sitting here.

"There's nothing we _can_ do, Bella."

I would do anything to help them out. I looked up at Alice and her eyes widened.

"No, Bella, you can't!" She stepped forward and grabbed my arm as I stood up.

I narrowed my eyes. "We can't just sit here, Alice!"

Alice closed her eyes. "They would never let me go up there."

The ship jerked violently again and I clutched at the bedpost to keep myself steady.

"I'm sorry Alice," I said, wrenching my arm out of her grip, "You might have to stay down here, but I don't."

"Bella!"

I ignored her protests as I pulled the door open and hurried through the corridors.

The ship was still swaying dangerously back and forth but I found that I was able to keep upright for the most part.

I reached the door that led on to deck and took a deep breath before throwing it open.

Immediately, the wind assaulted my face furiously, stinging my skin.

I resisted the urge to cry out as it pushed and pulled at me violently.

I stepped forward on to the deck and shut the door behind me. On deck, everyone was shouting orders and rushing here and there.

All around the boat, the previously calm water was now thrashing against the sides of the boat.

Rain was pelting the dock and struck my skin sharply as it fell.

"Ben!" I turned to see Seth looking at me with shock. "You're not supposed to be on deck!"

I could barely hear him over the howling of the wind.

"I have to help!" I shouted back.

Seth shook his head at me. "If the captain sees you here..."

He was distracted as one of the crew members shouted for help and rushed over to him.

Chaos was all around me and I wasn't quite sure what I could do.

The ship lurched as another wave hit the side of the boat and I was propelled to the edge of the boat.

I cried out as the splintered railings cut in to my hand.

I looked down to see blood dripping from the deep cut on the palm of my hand.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" The captain's voice roared loudly.

I looked up to see his eyes flashing with anger and disbelief.

"I-I want to help." I stuttered.

He was truly scary when he was angry and I had no idea what he was going to do.

"You have to-," He paused and looked behind me.

I turned around, following his gaze.

A small cry fell from my lips when I saw a large wave looming behind us.

I felt as though everything had slowed down as it slowly began it's descent on to the deck.

I yelped as I felt someone grab on to the top of my shirt, yanking me down to the deck.

The wave crashed down on top of us, knocking the breath out of me as water filled my lungs.

The water receded and I coughed out the water that had filled my mouth.

I vaguely registered in the back of my head that it was the captain that had pulled me down, but right now I was too busy hacking up the water that was still filling my lungs.

I heard a gasp and looked up to see the captain staring at me, his face a mixture of shock, anger, disbelief, and betrayal.

I furrowed my brows, not quite sure why he was staring at me so oddly.

The wind blew furiously at the back of my head once more.

I saw a flash of brown fill the corner of my eye and I gasped.

I reached up and touched my head, my hand meeting, not the coarse false thread of my wig, but my real hair.

I reached down and felt for my damp locks, pulling a strand forward.

_Dark brown._

I stared up at the captain, my expression of shock echoing his.

_Oh, no._

**AN: Uh-oh...what's Bella going to do? Actually, a better question would be: what's **_**Edward**_** going to do?**

**So...was it dramatic enough? I hope you guys don't think that was too soon for Bella to be revealed, but I have a lot more in store for you guys in terms of plot so I had to get this out of the way. And I'm sure you all want some E/B smexin? ;)**

**I'm so sorry for the delayed update, but my boyfriend and I both fell sick and...ugh...it was horrible. Anyway, I hope that this long-ass chapter makes up for it.**

**Thank you SO SO SO much all of you who reviewed...you guys are simply amazing: limor, Vanquish13, shaz308, LuckiLuci, albesca callimir, KhristenHartgrove, Dan-Dan, SarahCullenxxx, Trainspotter1440, ADADancer, amerkey, Australopithecus Karinsis, takada87, unique rose, LiLi82, goobergabby, Helen, Darcy Knightley, MandyLittleton, Mandita1, Kiokins91, scareDcat, VMari2010, Love2readgirl, hipstererin, sujari6, and All black and white**

**Reviews make me update faster! *hint hint***

**M-J**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

**BPOV:**

_ I heard a gasp and looked up to see the captain staring at me, his face a mixture of shock, anger, disbelief, and betrayal._

_ I furrowed my brows, not quite sure why he was staring at me so oddly._

_ The wind blew furiously at the back of my head once more._

_ I saw a flash of brown fill the corner of my eye and I gasped._

_ I reached up and touched my head, my hand meeting, not the coarse false thread of my wig, but my real hair._

_ I reached down and felt for my damp locks, pulling a strand forward._

_ Dark brown._

_ I stared up at the captain, my expression of shock echoing his._

Oh, no.

The wind was blowing furiously all around us but the crew carried on shouting orders above the cacophony.

It was as though nothing had happened. The world kept moving, but I was unable to pull my gaze from that of the captain's.

His green eyes reflected his emotions clearly, but they switched far too rapidly for me to single one out.

It must have been mere seconds, but it felt like days.

Fear, dread, relief, and desperation all flooded through me, making me light-headed.

I vaguely registered pain shooting through my hand from where I had cut it on the railing, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I was in a state of utter shock.

In retrospect, I suspect that it was foolish for me to assume I could keep my identity hidden for so long, but to be revealed like this...

I fearfully locked my gaze with the captain only to see, not the flutter of emotions that I had seen before, but one firm emotion.

Anger.

His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched in a truly frightening display of ire.

His hand shot out and he grabbed my upper arm, wrenching me up.

I cried out in pain as his incredibly tight grip on my arm effectively cut off every other train of thought I may have possessed.

The ship swayed but I was held firm by the captain as he dragged me across the deck and to the door that led below deck.

I was surprised to see that none of the crew chanced a glance at us.

My eyes flickered to the raging sea that was still thrashing against the boat.

_Then again,_ I thought wryly, _it's not _that_ surprising._

The captain pushed the door open and shoved me inside. I stumbled inside, my back hitting the wall.

I stared, wide-eyed as the captain slammed the door and turned to meet my stare.

His fists were clenched and his eyes were practically spitting fire.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?" He growled, taking an intimidating step forwards.

I winced at the violent language. I felt a frightened tear slip down my cheek, merging with the rain drops as I simply shook my head at him.

I was unable to say anything. My vocal chords seemed to be shocked in to silence.

My unresponsiveness proved to only infuriate him even more.

"I asked you a fucking question!" He roared, slamming his palms on the wall behind me.

I shrieked as his hands came dangerously close to my head.

Unrestrained sobs burst out of me as I sagged against the wall.

I was _scared_. Truly terrified. If I thought that I had ever been frightened before now, I was wrong.

_This_ was fear.

Not only because I knew that this man could hurt me. But also because I knew that he held my fate in his clenched fists.

I had told Alice only yesterday that if the captain ever found out about me, I would leave the ship myself.

And I wasn't lying.

I would find a new way to carry on. I didn't want to see the looks of betrayal on the faces of those who had helped me.

_Jasper, Emmett, Seth..._

And Alice...would the captain get mad at her for helping me?

How could I have not considered all of this?

If the captain let me off the ship, I would be glad. I wouldn't have to cause these people any more trouble.

But right now, the captain could simply turn me over to the guards. And that would be the end.

"Please..." I whispered, controlling my sobs. I looked up to see him staring at me, his eyes still narrowed in anger. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"Please don't hurt me."

For a moment, as his jaw relaxed I thought he might actually let me go. But something flickered in his eyes and his jaw clenched once more.

"You still didn't answer my question. Who the bloody hell are you and what are you doing on my ship?" He spat.

The ship jerked violently and I gasped, clinging on to the wall behind me.

The captain surprisingly simply swayed along with the boat, not having to hold on to anything.

"M-my name is Isabella Swan." I stuttered, "I am the daughter of the Baron Charles Swan."

The captain frowned, realization filling his expression. "You're the one that all the Guards are searching for."

I nodded, biting my lip.

"Be-," Alice rounded the corner, sounding out of breath. Her eyes widened when she took in the scene.

Her eyes flickered from my damp brown hair, to the captain, to his clenched fists.

"Oh no." She whispered.

She shook her head at me in a resigned sort of way.

The captain's eyes flickered from Alice to me and he backed up, staring at her in disbelief. "You knew about this?"

My eyes widened and I looked quickly at the captain, praying that he wouldn't be angry at Alice for my mistake.

Alice sighed. "Yes, Edward. I did."

The captain shook his head and glared at her. "How could you not tell me? How could you fucking hide this from me?"

Alice met his gaze unflinchingly. "Would you have allowed her to stay on this ship if you found out that she had been disguised as a boy? Or if you found out that the Guards were looking for her?"

The captain shifted his glare towards me and I subconsciously pressed myself against the wall.

"What makes you think I'll allow her to stay now?"

I shut my eyes, pushing back the tears and bit my lip.

It was as though my heart had fallen in to my stomach.

I didn't really expect anything else, and I planned to leave anyway, but when he said it, it just made everything so much more real.

"Edward, stop!" Alice demanded, stepping forward. "Don't do this!"

"Don't you tell me what I can and can't do, Alice." The captain warned, narrowing his eyes at her. "Your authority can only stretch so far."

Alice stepped back, shaking her head at him.

"When are you going to change?" Alice asked him, "When are you going to realize that not everyone has it out for you?"

"I'll change when I have reason to," The captain sneered, "I decided to trust Jasper about his decision to bring a random stranger on to my ship, and look where that has gotten me!"

"Oh, please, Edward," Alice scoffed, "All she did was mop the deck and clean the sheets. Yes, she did it under a wig, but you need to stop acting like she planned to overthrow you!"

"And _you_ need to stop acting as if nothing's wrong here!" The captain shouted.

"It's still the same person! We just know that she's a girl! What's so wrong about her staying on this ship?"

"I can't trust someone who couldn't even reveal her true identity." The captain aimed this statement at me.

All the beauty I had initially found in his emerald eyes was lost behind the fury I saw now.

I looked down at the ground, not sure what to say.

The ship was still jerking around us, the storm raging wildly outside and reflecting the emotions that were filling my stomach like a solid brick.

Alice sighed and shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by the captain who raised his hand.

"Take her to her room," The captain ordered, "I have to deal with this storm right now. I'll take care of this tomorrow."

Alice nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me along.

"Oh, and Isabella," I glanced back at the captain, shocked to hear him call me by my real name. The captain's face was void of emotion. "Don't get comfortable."

He opened the door leading on to deck and braved the raging storm once more, slamming the door behind him.

My heart slammed as the door did, tears once more making their way down my face.

I wiped furiously at them, not wanting to be perceived as weak by any means.

I heard a small cry and before I knew it, Alice's arms were wrapped tightly around my neck.

I released a shuddering breath and wrapped my arms around her tiny frame.

I tried to put what I couldn't express in words in to the embrace.

I would be eternally thankful to her. Not only for supporting me through the past few days, but for sticking up for me in front of the captain.

I was well aware that that was no easy feat.

After a while, Alice pulled away, her own cheeks streaked with tears.

"Come on," She muttered, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the corridors and back to her room, "You're shaking...you must be freezing."

I hadn't even noticed that I was trembling, but now that the shock at being found out was starting to wear off, I registered that my fingers were trembling from cold.

I allowed Alice to pull me along, not knowing what else to do.

She led me in to her room, as assertive and confident as always. She sat me down on the bed that had never looked so inviting and walked over to her closet, rummaging through the clothes.

I brought my hands up and chafed them against my arms, trying to provide them with some source of heat.

Alice came out with fresh clothes, except this time the clothes were smaller than they had been before.

I smiled wryly when I realized that there was no longer any reason to hide my chest.

Alice offered me a small smile when she saw that I noticed the change in clothes.

"No need to constrict yourself with those awful bindings," Alice murmured.

She placed the clothes on the bed and sat down next to me.

I furrowed my brows when she glanced at me expectantly.

"Well, change, then." She said, gesturing to the clothes.

"Oh, right." I muttered, getting up.

I couldn't find it in me to be embarrassed as I took off the soaking shirt, breeches and the bindings.

Alice handed me the dry clothes and I changed in to them, feeling warmth slowly start to spread through me.

I sat down slowly, staring at the ground that was still swaying erratically.

The storm outside was a reminder that reality was hurtling on, whether I was ready for it or not.

"You have really beautiful hair, did you know?" I turned to see Alice smiling at me.

I smiled bitterly.

Never had I hated my hair more. It had gotten me in this predicament.

"I've never considered it anything but long," I replied honestly.

"Well, it really is beautiful. It's a pity that you had to hide it under that wig all this time." Alice said in a voice that clearly told me she was trying to make the conversation more light-hearted.

It didn't work.

"It's a pity it had to come out of the wig." I said, flatly.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Oh, Bella," Alice bit her lip and wrapped her arms around me as well, resting her head on my shoulder, "We were foolish. So very foolish to think that we could keep it hidden for long."

I nodded in agreement.

"But I'm glad that it came out when it did." I glanced at her in disbelief. She shrugged. "I was just thinking: maybe it was time that the truth spoke for itself."

"What does it matter, Alice?" I asked her, all hope distinguished. "My time on this ship and with all of you has elapsed."

"Bella, I would _never_ let the captain see you off this ship!" Alice said fiercely, lifting her head from my shoulder and narrowing her eyes at me.

I shook my head. "Not the captain. You're forgetting what I told you this evening, Alice. The captain found out about me. I'll leave this ship myself."

"Bella, no!" Alice pleaded, pulling away from me and grabbing my hand.

"Alice, don't you see? I've lied to everyone on board! I've lied to the whole crew, and I have never felt more ashamed of myself than I do right now." I managed to say, hating what I had done.

"Bella, you were doing it for a reason! You had to hide yourself from the Guards and if the crew knew that, they would never fault you!"

"It doesn't matter. I've betrayed their trust, and I can't stay." I said, frustrated.

"Please, Bella."

I looked up and was shocked to see tears filling Alice's eyes.

I furrowed my brows. "Alice?"

"I'm sorry," She muttered, swiping at her tears, "You're the first girl friend I've had in well...ever, and I...I just don't want to lose you."

I was shocked to hear it.

I liked Alice very much and considered her one of my dearest friends, but never suspected her to return the feeling.

After all, I was just some silly girl that had ended up on a pirate ship.

"Alice, you would never lose me," I said desperately, hating that I was making her cry. "You will always be one of my best friends, and I sincerely hope that you'll visit me sometime, wherever the captain chooses to drop me off."

"We're pirates, Bella." Alice said, smiling wryly, "Do you really think that we visit the same port often?"

I returned my gaze to the ground, not knowing what to say.

I knew that Alice was right and if I left the ship, I'd most likely be leaving behind our friendship as well.

That was something I certainly didn't want to do, but what other option did I have?

Even if I chose to stay, the captain would never allow me.

My stay on the ship was short, but enlightening in ways I could have never imagined.

I had discovered kindness on this ship that I was certain I would not be able to discover in my own family.

Pirates were definitely not what I had believed them to be.

At least not these pirates.

"You should go to sleep." Alice said, finally.

Her eyes were sorrowful, but resigned.

I sighed and reached out to hug her, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you for everything you have done for me." I smiled before I stood and made my way - unsteadily - out of her room and towards my own.

Several things had fallen to the floor because of the storm, but all my eyes saw were the bed.

I lay down on the mattress, yanking up the fallen sheets and tugging them around me.

I was so tired that I didn't even register the blood that was spilling from the cut on my hand on to the sheets.

My vision darkened as I fell in to a dreamless sleep.

~•~

I awoke to throbbing pain in both my head and my hand. I winced and pushed myself up on the bed so that I could lean against the headboard.

I glanced down at my hand and grimaced when I saw the dried blood that covered it.

The sheets were stained a rusty dark brown color where my hand had touched during the night.

I got up, fighting the pain in my head and walked over to grab a damp washcloth.

I wiped gently around my cut, wincing at the pain. The cut was deeper than I had initially thought.

I ran my un-cut hand through my hair, the feel of my regular hair a painful reminder of the events that had occurred last night.

I winced as my fingers caught on to one of the several knots that littered my hair.

A glance in the mirror confirmed my suspicions that my hair resembled a haystack.

The ship was calm, barely swaying at all.

The storm must have ended sometime last night.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, not quite knowing what to do. The captain had said that he would have to deal with me after the storm.

Did he mean now? Would he perhaps pull me aside and drop me off somewhere without the crew knowing?

I would actually prefer it that way.

But my main concern was confronting him.

I did not wish to face his wrath once more. Something in his demeanor and the way he conducted himself was just so intimidating.

I highly doubted whether there was a man alive today whom the captain couldn't cause to shrink with one of his glares.

There was a light knock on the door and I immediately tensed.

I got up and eyed the door warily.

"Come in." I called, self-consciously crossing my arms against my chest.

The door opened and I sighed in relief, dropping my arms.

Alice raised an eyebrow as she shut the door behind her.

"Who did you think it was?" She asked.

"The captain," I admitted as she walked in and sat down on the bed. "Or someone from the crew...I wasn't sure whether or not I should hide."

Alice chuckled humorlessly. "Doesn't matter. Everyone knows anyway."

My eyes snapped to her. "What?"

Alice nodded. "I'm not exactly sure how but this morning I woke up and Jasper was there, asking me questions. Apparently they all know that I knew, as well."

I simply stared at her.

How could everyone know about this so soon?

I could imagine rumors spreading fast in the society back home, but I was surprised how quickly it had spread here.

And it had been in the middle of a storm!

"He must hate me, then." I whispered, referring to Jasper.

Alice frowned. "Of course he doesn't hate you. Why would you think that?"

I stared at her, disbelievingly. "Why _wouldn't_ I think that? I've betrayed his trust."

I moved to run my hand through my hair but winced when my cut threaded painfully through the strands.

Alice was immediately on her feet. She grabbed my hand and gasped when she looked at the cut.

"Bella, what happened?" She exclaimed.

I tried to pull my hand away from her grip, but she held firm.

"It's nothing, Alice." I insisted. "I just scraped it against a splintered railing last night."

"It's not nothing," Alice said firmly, "Bloody hell, Bella, don't you realize how serious this is? If you don't get this cut cleaned and stitched, it could get infected!"

I sighed, knowing that she was right.

"You have to come with me," Alice nodded authoritatively, "I'll take you to Jasper, he knows how to care for these kind of wounds."

My eyes widened. "No!" I pulled against her grip. "Alice, I can't!"

I dug my heels in to the ground, but Alice had seized my wrist in an iron-tight grip and was yanking me along behind her.

_For someone so tiny, she sure is strong!_

"Alice, please!" I begged, "I can't see him!"

Alice stopped and stared at me in exasperation. "Why the hell not?"

I hesitated, biting my lip.

"Because I lied to him. And he was so kind to me, Alice. I can't look him in the eye, knowing I lied to him!"

"Stop being ridiculous, Bella." Alice commanded, "Jasper doesn't think any less of you."

"Alice..."

"No, Bella. You're going to get that cut stitched up, and that's final."

I highly doubted that anyone could have protested any further against Alice.

I helplessly followed her as she dragged me out of my room and towards the one she shared with Jasper.

Alice opened the door to her room, leading me inside.

Jasper was inside, wrapping a long strip of cloth around a cut on his arm.

He looked tired, his shirt torn in several places. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and his blonde hair was chaotic - almost as chaotic as the captain's.

He looked up as we entered and his eyes widened.

I immediately looked down, blushing.

He had looked surprised, definitely. But I hadn't seen any anger there...that was surely a good sign, wasn't it?

"Jasper, you need to help her," Alice said distracting me from my thoughts as she pushed me in to a chair, "She cut her hand and the cut's really deep."

I looked up to see Jasper nodding vaguely. He glanced at me and shot me a tentative smile.

I smiled slowly back.

"I'm sorry for lying to you." I told him quietly.

Jasper shook his head and snorted quietly.

"It's nothing we haven't done."

Alice grinned at me smugly with an 'I told you so,' sort of look. I rolled my eyes at her and watched as Jasper made his way over to me.

I held out my hand so that he could see the cut. He frowned as he took in the wound.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice walking over to the desk and rummaging through the contents of the drawer.

"It's definitely deep." Jasper said, shaking his head, "Where did you manage to get yourself hurt like that?"

"She told me that she cut herself on a broken railing last night." Alice piped up.

"I'll need to stitch it." Jasper nodded. Alice appeared suddenly behind him holding out a needle and thread.

I shook my head in amusement at her intuition.

Jasper smiled at her in thanks and accepted the items.

He glanced up at me and shook his head. "You don't know how weird it is for me to see you like this."

"Like what?" I asked, confused.

"Well, you're a girl!" Jasper said, his hands gesturing towards my hair. Alice laughed and sat down next to me.

"Clearly, Jasper." She said, with a teasing grin.

He smiled at her and shrugged. "I just want you to know that I don't blame you for what you did. Alice explained everything. It was the obvious thing to do."

I smiled gratefully at both of them.

I was glad that he wasn't mad at me.

And I was glad that Alice had told him why I had to do what I had done.

I wasn't quite sure what I would do if he had been upset that I lied to him.

He was one of the few friends I had gained since coming aboard this ship.

And with the captain furious with me, I suspected that I needed all the friends I could get.

I glanced down at his arm where blood from his own cut was slowly staining the cloth he had wrapped around it.

"Jasper." Alice said, frowning as she too noticed his injury.

She got up and touched his forearm gently, her eyes filled with worry.

"Oh, it's nothing." Jasper waved it off, bringing Alice's hand up to his lips so that he could peck the back of her hand. "Just a scrape."

"But it's bleeding!" I said, staring at his cut apprehensively.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Yes, that's what happens when something slices through skin. I've had worse, Ben-I mean, Bella." He shot me an apologetic look.

I simply chuckled. It was kind of amusing to see Jasper look a little rattled.

He was always so in control but right now he looked as if he didn't know just what to think.

Alice laughed at his awkward expression and moved to sit back next to me.

"Alright, alright." Jasper said, scowling playfully at both of us.

He got up and grabbed a washcloth. He made his way back and gently turned my hand so that the palm faced upwards.

He washed the cut thoroughly.

I hissed as the water seeped in to the cut and stung, but tried to keep still as possible while Jasper worked.

"This will hurt a little." Jasper said apologetically as he pierced my skin with the needle.

I winced but resisted the urge to pull my hand away as Jasper began pulling the needle in and out of my skin.

Alice grabbed my other hand and held it tight.

"What happened during the storm?" Alice asked Jasper, trying to distract me from the stinging pain in my hand.

"It was as usual," Jasper sighed, shaking his head, "Lots of damage. Although, it was less than I thought it would be. Still enough to put us out of action for a while, though. Splintered railings," He nodded towards my hand, "Ripped sails, snapped ropes."

"The ship will be okay, right?" Alice asked, looking a little worried.

Jasper smiled at her. "Of course she'll be okay. The crew already managed to mend the sails so we should be off soon enough. We'll need to make a trip to port though."

"Good timing." I muttered, without thinking.

Alice's head snapped up and her eyes met mine.

I instantly wished I could take back what I had just said when I saw Alice's face take on a look of resignation.

She lowered her gaze to the ground.

Jasper was looking curiously between us.

"What's wrong?" He frowned, setting the needle down on the table and placed his hand atop Alice's.

I sighed. He would find out soon enough, anyway.

"When the ship docks, I'm getting off. Permanently."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Edward told you that you had to leave?" He exclaimed.

"No," I frowned, looking down at my newly stitched hand, "This is my own choice."

"Your own choice? I don't understand...why...?"

Jasper looked more confused than ever.

"She doesn't want to stay on this ship because she's feeling guilty about lying to the crew." Alice offered, looking up at me.

She made no effort to hide the fact that she thought what I was feeling was ridiculous.

Jasper raised an incredulous eyebrow at me.

"Not just that." I insisted, "Don't you think it was rather stupid of me to stay here? The Guards are already searching for me. Now I'm on your ship. That's just putting all of you in danger of being found! And if they find you, they'll hang you!"

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Jasper muttered, shaking his head, "Have you gone mad?" He demanded, turning to me, "Not even the captain has told you to leave, and still you choose to?"

"Jasper-," Alice began in a soothing tone.

"No, Alice!" He said firmly, getting up. "It's stupidity to leave, Bella. You talk about the Guards finding us because of you. But who's better at not being caught, then us? Don't you understand how it could help you if you stayed with us?"

"I don't want to stay if it puts you all at risk!" I cried, earnestly.

"But it won't!" Jasper rolled his eyes. "The Guards aren't going to have any more luck in finding us now than they have for the past ten years."

My gaze fell back to my lap.

Jasper had a point. Many points, actually.

It was true that, should I stay here on the ship, I might actually be _safer_ with them - even though they were being searched for.

After all, so was I.

I nodded reluctantly.

Alice squealed and jumped out of her seat, hugging me tightly.

Jasper laughed at her enthusiasm and I felt an involuntary smile make it's way on to my face.

Alice pulled back and shot me a brilliant smile.

"You're staying!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, I am." I sighed with a wry smile.

Jasper stepped forwards. "Well, I'm glad that you chose to stay. If only to make Alice happy, I'm thankful." Jasper grinned.

Alice shot him a look, but her pleased expression stayed put.

"You were right," I smiled at him, "I was being a little stupid. But if the captain tells me to leave, I will."

"He won't." Jasper said confidently.

"Don't be too sure of that," I said, "He looked pretty furious with me last night."

"Oh, he's always angry at something or the other." Alice rolled her eyes. "That's nothing new."

I jerked my head slightly in acceptance of that reasoning.

"Bella, not to offend you," Alice started slowly, "But how long has it been since you combed your hair?"

I grimaced at the reminder of the bird's nest that was currently residing atop my head.

"Well, I haven't exactly had a chance to over these past few days, have I? What with ending up on a pirate ship, cleaning said ship two days in a row, learning to use a sword, and then finding myself in the middle of the storm..."

"She has a point," Jasper commented as he picked up the washcloth.

Alice shot him a look that caused his eyes to widen. He raised his hands in surrender and retreated slowly to the other side of the room.

The display surprised me. I had never before seen a woman have such control of a man and what he said and did.

Previously in ever pairing, it had seemed that the man held the 'head' role. Almost as if he controlled the woman.

Even in my parents, my Mother would never dare to oppose my Father.

They ruled various sections of the manor - and my life for that matter.

My Father dealt with everything that had to do with the financial prosperity of the manor and my Mother dealt with social gatherings.

However, here it was clear that Alice had equal power in her...relationship with Jasper as he did.

Though it was equally clear that neither Jasper nor Alice cared about who had 'power' in their relationship.

It was almost...heartwarming to witness the way they were with each other.

I felt something tug at my heart as I watched them, as cliché as it may sound.

"...Bella? Bella!"

My eyes snapped up to see Alice waving her hands in front of me.

I glanced around to see that Jasper was no longer in the room.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "You didn't listen to anything I just said, did you?" She said, sounding annoyed.

I shot her a sheepish look and she sighed.

"I was just saying that I'll lend you my brush so that you can...straighten that out," She nodded towards my hair, "And then we'll meet Jasper up on deck."

I instantly felt sick at the thought of facing the rest of the crew.

One of the things I hated the most was being in the center of attention.

Even back at home, being paraded around at Galas with Allison sickened me like no other.

"Oh, Bella, you knew this was coming," Alice said with a sympathetic glance. She walked over to the desk and pulled open a drawer.

She rummaged through it before she pulled out a brush. She smiled and made her way back to me.

"It'll be fine, you'll see." She handed me the brush.

I got up and flexed the hand that wasn't holding the brush.

Though the cut was stitched, it still stung badly and I highly doubted that the pain would disappear any time soon.

I raised the brush and ran it as gently as I could through my hair as Alice bustled around the room, fixing the sheets on the bed and cleaning up.

I had to place the brush down on the table several times, so that I could untangle the knots by hand, but eventually I managed to straighten my hair in to something respectable.

It was amazing how many knots could worm their way in to your hair when left under a wig for a couple of days.

"Done." I smiled and walked over to the mirror to make sure that I hadn't left a section of my hair un-combed.

As I looked at my reflection, I found it very strange to see _me_ after so many days.

My own hair was back and it was surprising the effect having my natural hair had on my appearance as a whole.

I saw Alice glance up at me in the mirror and she smiled.

"Might want to braid it, too," Alice suggested, "The wind outside will have it knotting again in a matter of seconds."

Alice handed me a small hair-tie and I set off to do as she had suggested.

I braided my hair quickly to one side and tied it off.

I nodded at Alice, signaling that I was ready and we both set off to head on to deck.

I frowned when we passed the Galleys and I saw that it was empty.

"How late is it?" I asked Alice.

"An hour or two before midday." Alice replied, smiling at my shocked expression. "You slept much later than I suspected you would. It doesn't surprise me, though. You were drenched and cold last night."

"So was all of the other crew," I reminded her, "And they were out in the storm for the whole night."

"Yes, well, they're used to it. You're not." Alice reasoned.

I decided not to argue with Alice as we approached the door that led on to the deck.

"Ready?" Alice asked with an encouraging smile.

I attempted a smile, but I had a feeling that it simply turned out as a grimace.

My stomach was once more churning with nerves and I had a feeling that if I opened my mouth, I would be sick.

Alice opened the door and walked outside first.

I took a deep breath and followed her, immediately immersed in the bright sunlight that always shined upon the wooden deck.

For a minute I was blinded.

I blinked rapidly and squinted against the light.

The scene that met my eyes was a study in contrasts.

All around the deck, wood was scattered here and there. The crew was walking around in a zombie-like manner looking barely awake. They were either huddling around the ropes or picking up the pieces of wood.

However, around the boat, the water was calm.

Almost mockingly so.

It was almost shocking to see the water rippling lightly against the sides of the boat, while just yesterday I had seen it waging war against the same boat and all of it's occupants.

There was a light gasp followed by a sudden silence that enveloped deck.

In the time it had taken for my eyes to adjust and take in the surroundings, it was clear that the crew had been distracted from their tasks by Alice and I as we stepped on to the deck.

They were all staring straight at me with varying expressions of shock.

I instinctively inched closer towards Alice, however how I expected her tiny frame to protect me, I wasn't quite sure...

Alice reached her hand out behind her and quickly grabbed mine, squeezing it comfortably.

She must have sensed my nervousness.

A glance upwards allowed me to identify Seth, Quill, and Embry in the crowd.

Quill and Embry looked surprised, but not much more than anyone else; which wasn't very shocking considering they'd only known me for a short while.

Seth, on the other hand, simply looked dumbstruck and a little hurt.

_Oh, no._

That was the exact expression that I wished not to see upon the faces of my new-found friends.

I shot him a pleading look, trying to silently convey my apology from across the deck.

However, I wasn't sure if he knew that my look was directed towards him as he was standing behind two of the taller crew members.

"What are you all looking at?" I heard Jasper's voice bark behind me.

The crew's heads snapped towards him and they all quickly looked downwards, going back to their work.

Mutters sounded through them as they shot me curious glances.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I had been holding in.

Alice turned towards me and offered me a small smile.

"I truly didn't know it would be that bad." She said, sounding apologetic.

"I did." I said quietly.

It was partly true. I had a feeling that they would be curious and untrusting - and rightfully so.

What I hadn't expected was the amount of guilt and anger towards myself I would feel when I saw Seth's expression.

Seth had helped me when I needed it and had shown me kindness even though he barely knew me.

He was a genuinely kind person.

The thought that he might hate me now was painful.

I felt someone place a hand upon my shoulder and turned to see Jasper standing behind me.

"Thank you for that." I told him, jerking my head in the direction of the crew.

"Of course." Jasper nodded.

"They're just surprised, Bella," Alice insisted as she took a step closer to me, squeezing my hand once more, "After all, it's not every day you find out that a new crew member was disguising herself as a boy."

I shot her a half-hearted smile.

Jasper sighed. "I'm afraid I don't have news that's going to be of any comfort to you. Edward was asking to see you in his office. He's been up all night and spent most of the morning assessing the damages. He'll be a little cranky, but don't take it to heart, alright?"

Oh, well that was just fabulous.

Not only was I going to see the captain who hated me on a normal day, it also just so happened that he thought I was a traitor...and to top it all off, said captain was in a bad mood.

Of course, I wasn't going to say that out loud.

I mustered a false smile. "It's nothing I haven't seen in him already, is it? He's had a knife to my throat before - two times, actually - I'm sure seeing him a little tired will be an improvement."

Alice laughed softly and Jasper chuckled.

"Just keep that positive attitude." Jasper winked. He turned and nodded to someone. "Emmett will take you to his room."

I turned to see Emmett grinning at me. Unlike everyone else, he seemed to be as happy as ever.

It seemed he was only cranky if he didn't have food. His smile was wide, his boyish dimples on full display.

"Who would've known?" He boomed.

My eyes widened and I shot Alice an incredulous glance.

He wasn't mad at me?

"I should have guessed," He continued, ignoring my surprised expression, "You were just way too skinny for a lad of fifteen - even if he _had_ been starved."

"Aren't you mad at me?" I asked in a small voice.

He frowned, confused. "_Mad_ at you?"

"Oh God, not this again..." I heard Jasper mutter. "Bella, it's all in your head! No one is mad at you!"

My mind flashed briefly to Seth's hurt expression, and guilt churned in my stomach once more but I decided not to voice it.

After all, I had an irate captain I had to see.

_Can't miss that, now can we?_

I frowned to myself. It seemed that with the lack of my wig, I had gained a new sense of sarcasm.

"Well, I can't understand why anyone would be mad at you," Emmett voiced, shrugging his large shoulders, "But rest assured that I'm not."

He winked at me and threw his bulky arm over my shoulders.

I immediately sagged under the weight and gasped. "Emmett!"

"Oh, sorry," He apologized, not seeming sorry in the least, "Let's get you to the captains', eh?"

I nodded and let go of Alice's hand and smiled at both her and Jasper.

I allowed Emmett to drag me along with him below deck.

Emmett led me slowly along with him as we walked to the captain's room.

"You're one brave lass, coming aboard a pirate ship." Emmett smiled at me, "What made you think you could survive it?"

"Well, I haven't yet, have I?" I retorted, unable to keep a smile from filling my own face.

There was something about being around Emmett that put me in a playful mood.

I was just hoping that he would come in to the captain's room with me. I had a feeling that it would be far easier to hide behind his bulky frame than it had been to hide behind little Alice.

Emmett laughed a huge belly laugh, causing me to shake along with him as he had yet to take his arm from around my shoulders.

"Ay, you've yet to enter the lion's den." Emmett winked as he came to a stop in front of the captain's door.

I sighed as I felt Emmett remove his arm.

"You're not going to come in with me?" I asked a little desperately as he began to take a few steps back.

"No," He frowned, "The captain wanted to see you alone. I'm sorry, lass."

I bit my lip, dread filling my stomach but nodded.

He smiled at me encouragingly and turned to leave.

I faced the door once more.

Yes, I was scared of him. Despite my promises to myself that I wouldn't be afraid of someone like him, I was scared.

He was simply too intimidating.

I raised a shaky hand and rapped quickly three times on the door.

There was a pause and a faint, _'Come in'._

I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

I looked up and froze.

I was met with, not the stern face of the captain but instead, his back.

This normally wouldn't be particularly surprising or cause for alarm of any sort, except there was the simple fact that said back was _bare._

The captain wasn't wearing a shirt and I was now staring at the back of a half-naked man's torso.

He was leaning over his desk, studying something that was placed on it.

I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping, however I was incredibly thankful that I managed to hold back my gasp.

My eyes wandered across his back of their own accord.

His flesh was bronzed - just like every other part of him - and muscular.

Without his shirt, I was able to see the definition of every muscle and I was enthralled.

Every move or twitch of his arm caused his shoulder blades to shift in a way that was surprisingly fascinating.

His breeches sat low on his hips - so low, in fact that I could see two small dimples right above the waistband.

Never before in my life had I seen a man in any form of nudity.

And despite his many other failings, I couldn't deny that the captain was an exceptionally attractive man.

"Jasper," His bored voice finally sounded throughout the room, "I thought I told you to tell Isabella to-"

He turned around and his eyes met mine.

Our faces held identical expressions of shock.

My eyes immediately registered that the front of his torso was now on display and I forced my eyes to look downwards so that I wouldn't be caught ogling him.

Though I hadn't looked down fast enough not to register the firm lines that ran down his stomach.

Heat like I had never felt before flooded up to my cheeks and I bit my lip in embarrassment.

"Oh," The captain finally muttered, "I-I didn't...I thought you were...Jasper."

I didn't dare look up at him for I was certain my eyes wouldn't spare his naked flesh if I did.

_Stop, Isabella._

The mere fact that I had been ogling him like some harlot was bad enough, without the added factor that this man hated me.

I heard the captain curse under his breath. There was some shuffling and the captain cleared his throat.

"Er-you can, um, you can look up now." He said, sounding incredibly awkward. He muttered something else under his breath.

I took a deep breath and slowly looked up.

The captain looked nearly as embarrassed as I was.

He had put a shirt on - thank God - and was buttoning it up as he shook his head.

I didn't fail to notice that despite the dark circles that outlined his eyes, he still looked as handsome as ever.

The outline of his jaw was darker, showing that he hadn't shaved and his hair was worse than mine had been this morning.

On any other man I was sure it would have looked like an absolute disaster, but on him it only proved to enhance the rugged beauty he had.

His eyes looked up and met mine.

This was one of the only times I had been able to look in to his eyes and not see anger or condescension in them.

It was a surprising change.

It was shocking the effect it had on him, though.

Without his mocking sneer and narrowed eyes, I found that he looked abundantly more approachable and almost kind-hearted.

I was unable to tear my eyes away from his.

It was almost as if they were being held there by an invisible force.

I had to remind myself that the captain had called me here for a reason and it was best that I found out what it was before I engaged once more in my ogle-fest.

I cleared my throat. "Jasper told me you wished to see me."

My comment seemed to jerk him from his thoughts and his hand flew up to his hair.

"Of course," He said gruffly, "I told you that last night that I would deal with you after I took care of the storm."

His eyes met mine - and we were back.

Anger filled his eyes when he was reminded of what had happened last night.

"Why did you hide who you were from us?" He demanded.

"I had to," I said quietly, "The Guards were after me."

"You. Isabella Swan." He nodded, his eyes narrowed, "Why did you run away from home?"

I frowned.

I didn't particularly want to tell him.

I glanced up and he raised an eyebrow as though daring me not to answer.

I sighed. "I ran away from home because my parents arranged my marriage to someone that I strongly disliked."

A safe answer.

I wasn't going to tell him about my complete hatred of my life back home.

I highly doubted he was in the mood to hear my tale of woe.

I was sure that he was going to comment on my reason for running from home, but surprisingly he simply nodded.

"How did you end up with Jasper?" He fired off next.

Was he really asking for my life story? Why wouldn't he just tell me what my fate was so that I could be prepared?

I pushed down the frustration I felt and answered his question in a monotonous voice. "When I ran from home, I escaped to the homes of one of my closest friend's. They cared for me there. But then we had a close encounter with the Guards and then came the night that...all of you came to port. It was decided that I should run. It was also decided that I would be safer if I disguised myself as a boy.

"I was walking on the street when I found a dagger on the ground. I picked it up and a Guard saw me. He accused me of being a pirate and was about to take me to the Gallows when Jasper saw me and helped me."

The captain frowned at my story but nodded.

He was silent for a long time, simply staring at the ground as he contemplated everything I had just said.

"You do realize, Miss Swan," The captain began finally, his voice low, "That to keep you aboard my ship would be utter insanity."

My eyes flashed up to meet his.

He paused when I didn't say anything.

I nodded slowly.

I did understand what he meant. It was what I had suspected. After all, the Guards were after me.

Why would a captain even _think_ of keeping me aboard?

"Though your little tale is," He paused, searching for the right word, "Intriguing, I have the safety of my ship and my crew to think about."

"I understand." I told him.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Do you?"

I nodded.

"Well, that'll just make this so much easier," The captain said, his eyes narrowing, "After all, I can't have people on my ship that I can't trust, now can I?"

"No." I responded quietly.

I looked up to see him frowning at me.

Did he expect me to put up some kind of fight? Demand that he let me stay aboard?

I suppressed a wry smile at the thought.

He clearly thought me to be a girl that I would never be.

I would much rather the crew be safe. I had grown to care for them quite a lot.

The captain was still staring at me with an expression of confusion on his face.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice a little louder this time, "Truly. For any trouble I may have caused you. I really didn't mean to. And whether you choose to believe it or not, I would never have betrayed any of you."

The captain gaped at me.

I simply stared back at him. "I was wondering if you could just drop me off at the next port? Jasper said that you were headed to port anyway."

The captain regained himself long enough to nod, still looking a little dumbstruck.

"We'll reach port around midday." He managed, straightening up.

I smiled softly. "Thank you."

I turned and made my way out of his room, and closed the door behind me.

Numbly, I made my way to my room.

When I reached it, I shut the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

I was surprised to find that I wasn't upset about having to leave the ship.

The only thing that I was worried about was Alice's reaction.

She had been so happy when she thought I was staying and I really didn't want my last memory of her to be sad.

Then there was Jasper, and Emmett...and Seth.

I still had to explain myself to Seth, but now it seemed I wouldn't get that chance.

Perhaps it was for the best.

Maybe it was a good thing that I was leaving these people alone.

I had no clue what I was going to do or where I was going to go.

I made my way over to my bed and sat down.

I had no money and I didn't know anyone.

What was I going to do?

I didn't even have my wig with me. I knew that there was a strong chance that I would be dead or aboard a ship headed back home by sunset.

I sighed, burying my face in my hands.

_I just didn't know._

I was confused and I hated not knowing what was going to happen next.

I couldn't count the amount of times Allison had told me back home to just relax and let whatever was meant to happen, happen.

However, I was sure that not knowing whether or not you would live to see the next day was a little different than whatever situation I would have found myself in back home.

When I had escaped from home, I had a clear idea of what was going to happen.

I was going to stay with the Webber's.

After a while, I would hopefully be able to get a job and start a new life.

When I had ended up on this pirate ship, I still had a clear idea of what was going to happen.

I would hide amongst the rest of the crew, disguising myself as a boy.

I had never anticipated that I would get myself kicked off the ship.

This was where my plans had reached a dead-end.

I winced and pressed my fingertips to my temples.

My head had been throbbing since morning and all this thinking and worrying wasn't doing it any good.

I lay down slowly on the bed and closed my eyes.

The captain had said that we would reach port around midday.

That meant that we would be there in a few hours.

Maybe if I just slept off those hours, I would be more awake and better prepared when we reached port.

That was what I had planned.

Of course, fate had another plan for me entirely and it appeared in the shape of a furious, small black-haired woman.

After an hour or so, I heard loud stomping outside my door.

"This is nonsense!" Alice raged as she burst through my door. She was glaring, her eyes narrowed so much that it was a wonder she could see where she was going.

I frowned and got up, sitting up in my bed. "Alice, what are you doing here?"

"He can't tell you to leave!" Alice shouted, stomping around. Her tiny fists were clenched.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes tiredly. "He already did."

"Who does he think he is?" Alice exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and ignoring me.

"He's the captain."

"He can't get away with this."

"He's going to."

"We'll stop him."

I snorted. "No, you won't."

Alice turned to me and frowned. "Whose side are you on?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "I'm not on anyone's _side_, Alice."

"Then stop being so pessimistic."

"I'm not being pessimistic, Alice," I sighed, "I'm being realistic."

"No, you're being a wet blanket." Alice glared at me.

I simply sat back against the headboard of the bed and raised an eyebrow at her, knowing that I would never win an argument against Alice.

"So stop being so negative and start thinking about ways we could hide you on the ship." Alice commanded, tapping her own finger to her chin as she began to think.

"Alice," I began, wanting to tell her that I had no plans to stay on the ship.

"We could always hide you in one of the spare rooms," Alice muttered to herself, her brows furrowed in thought.

"Alice." I got up from the bed.

"No, that wouldn't work. Edward would probably find you when he did his checks."

"Alice..." I waved my hands in front of her as she paced, immersed in her thoughts."

"Do you think he would buy it if we brought you on to the ship in a different disguise?" Alice asked anxiously.

"Alice, will you stop for a second, please?" I exclaimed.

Her mouth snapped closed and her eyes widened.

"Thank you," I took a deep breath, "You need to stop all of this planning Alice."

Alice frowned. "Why? How else will we keep you on the ship?"

"I'm not staying on the ship."

Alice gaped at me. "But you said that you would stay!"

"Yes, but I told you that if the captain wanted me off of the ship, I would go."

"But..." Alice said, her voice diminished, "I thought that you would..."

I walked forward and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Alice."

Alice frowned, looking at her feet.

"It's not fair." She said angrily, "Edward doesn't know anything about you."

"Exactly." I said as gently as I could, "All he knows is that I disguised myself in order to come on his ship. I'm not exactly selling myself to him, am I?"

Alice sighed. "It's not fair, Bella."

I slowly stepped forwards and wrapped my arms around her. "It's okay, Alice. I'm guessing we'll be at port soon and after a while you'll forget about me."

Alice shook her sadly. "No, I won't."

I gave her the best smile I could muster. "Do you know if we're close to port?" I asked her.

Alice nodded. "We'll be there in about five minutes. Do you want to come up on deck? Jasper and Emmett are up there too and they're furious."

I nodded with a wry smile and we both headed up on to deck.

The deck was in a much better shape than it had been when I had been there before.

All the leftover wood and ripped ropes had been cleaned up.

And land could be seen. Small buildings and boats were visible. Even from here I could hear the busy noise of the dealings on the port.

The crew still glanced up from their work occasionally, shooting me glances, but I learned to ignore it.

They wouldn't see me ever again in a while anyway.

Jasper and Emmett, much like Alice, were furious.

"He's so blind sometimes!" Jasper fumed.

"I never thought that he would actually tell you to leave." Emmett said, shaking his head.

It took me quite a while to convince them that it was going to happen eventually and that I harbored no hard feelings towards the captain.

As the ship neared the dock, I felt dread and anticipation grow in equal amounts.

Alice grabbed my hand and held it tightly as we finally docked.

The crew set up the unloading planks and everyone slowly got off the boat.

I felt a sense of déjà vu as I stepped down from the planks and on to the noisy port.

It looked just like the previous port, only this time I held no sense of familiarity with this place what-so-ever.

I scrunched up my nose as the smell of fish invaded my senses.

We walked away from the boat and the port and on to the streets of the port.

Like any town next to the port, there were shops, bars, and small houses that housed the families of merchants and fishermen.

Alice squeezed my hand and I turned to her, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded towards Jasper and Emmett who were standing a few feet away from us with the captain.

Judging by their hostile expressions and narrowed eyes, I could only assume that they were arguing.

Very heatedly, I might add.

Jasper shook his head and was about to say something when the captain raised his hand to stop him.

Alice sighed beside me.

"I thought that Jasper might be able to persuade Edward in to letting you stay." She said grimly, "I guess not."

I shook my head. "Alice, really, it's okay. It's going to be okay. I'm going to be fine. And who's to say our paths won't cross again?"

"Logic."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Who's being a wet blanket now?"

"It's just...I'm going to miss you, Bella." She said, biting her lip.

I smiled. "I'm going to miss you too, Alice."

I wrapped her tightly in a hug for the third time that day.

I pulled away from her and saw Emmett and Jasper approaching us slowly.

Jasper looked remorseful.

"I'm sorry," Jasper told me, "I really did try."

"It's okay." I smiled at him. "I'm thankful to all of you for helping me. I truly don't know what I would have done without you."

Jasper smiled and before I knew it, he was pulling me in to a hug.

My eyes widened as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his neck.

I wasn't quite used to expressing affection so blatantly, but I hugged him back anyway.

When Jasper let me go, Emmett swopped me up in a huge bear-hug that lifted me off my feet.

Instead of shrieking in fear as any sane person would have done, I laughed.

"I'm going to miss you." Emmett said honestly as he placed me back on the ground.

"I'm going to miss all of you as well." I told them.

I took a few steps away from them, not exactly sure where I was going to go.

"Bella, wait!" Alice said suddenly running over to me.

She reached in to her pocket and pulled out a small drawstring pouch and handed it to me.

I furrowed my brows and raised the pouch. "What's this?"

Alice glanced around her and stepped closer to me. "It's gold," She whispered, "I've saved some up over the years. Jasper never leaves me wanting for anything, so it's just been sitting there for quite a while now. I want you to take it."

My eyes widened. "Alice, you can't..."

She raised a hand up to silence me. "Don't. You're my friend. I want to help you. Edward decides just to strand you on some random port with no money..." She shook her head, looking disgusted. "Keep that safe, Bella. I want to make sure that you'll be safe even if you're not with us."

I felt tears prick the corner of my eyes and I nodded.

"Thank you, Alice." I whispered.

She smiled and gave me a quick hug before running back to where Jasper and Emmett were waiting for her.

She shot me one last wave before they set off.

I stood there, staring at their retreating backs for a while.

Finally when they were out of sight I turned around and started walking aimlessly down the streets.

I made sure to keep my head down, knowing that if someone recognized me all of Alice's help would have been for nothing.

It wasn't very hard to blend in to the crowd because of the sheer amount of people that were roaming around these streets.

That would have to be my tactic from now on - blending in to the crowd.

I recognized vaguely that I hadn't said goodbye to Alice, Jasper, or Emmett.

I felt a smile creep on to my face.

Maybe it wasn't goodbye. Maybe our paths _would_ cross again.

~•~

**EPOV:**

"Are you sure that there isn't anything _else_ I can get you, captain?" A blonde-haired wench purred in my ear as she attempted to shove her ample chest in my face.

I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Yes, I'm sure." I nearly growled out, gritting my teeth.

Her hand slid along my thigh and I immediately grabbed her wrist, halting her advances.

I glared up at her. "Find someone else."

She scowled at me.

"Fine." She muttered, as she moved along the bar, finding some other poor bloke to seduce.

I grabbed my mug of rum and took three large gulps, sighing as I set it back down on the counter.

Last night had been awful. The storm was a killer and the damages were even worse.

Fatigue ached every inch of my body, but as a captain being alert was more important than anything.

"Have you gone mad?" Jasper's voice hissed in my ear as he sat down on a stool next to me.

"Pretty damn close." I admitted, closing my eyes.

"She was just a girl, Edward." Jasper said.

I groaned and opened my eyes to see him glaring at me.

I couldn't quite explain the feelings I had felt when I discovered that Ben had been hiding who he was all of this time.

I knew he was hiding something. There was something..._off_ about him.

When I discovered that Ben was really Isabella Swan the missing daughter of the Baron, I was shocked to say the least.

That night I was too overwhelmed by my emotions to register much else.

She seemed so terrified of me and that served to only fuel my anger for some reason.

The next day, however, when she came in to my room it was like seeing a whole different person.

Her long brown hair had been braided neatly to the side, allowing me to see her delicate features.

Her shirt was significantly tighter allowing me to see that...well, she was most definitely a girl.

My first thought when I saw her was: she's beautiful.

And she was. No matter how much I didn't trust her and how much I despised the fact that she had tricked me, I couldn't deny that she was a very attractive young woman.

Her brown eyes were large and filled with an innocence that I had yet to see in today's women.

Her skin was pale but not in a sickly way. It looked like delicate porcelain.

Her mouth, in contrast to her skin was a beautiful shade of pink - much like the blush that frequented her face every time she was remotely embarrassed.

When I first saw her like that, I didn't quite know what to do.

It had taken me a while to regain my bearings, but when I did I was reminded that this girl had fooled me.

That was when the anger and bitterness had resurfaced and caused me to tell her that I couldn't possibly keep her on this ship.

I didn't regret my decision, but I was definitely paying for it now.

Jasper hadn't shut up about my decision ever since I had made it.

Even now when the decision had been made and implemented.

"Not this again. Jasper, let it go." I mumbled as Emmett sat down on the other side of me.

Unlike Jasper who had taken to calling me insane at every chance he got, Emmett simply stared at me like he didn't quite know what my motives were.

"I'm not going to let it go!" Jasper exclaimed, "She could get hurt!"

"Why should I care?" I growled, "She lied to all of us."

"She lied so that she could escape the Guards! What would you have done had the situation been reversed?" Jasper demanded.

"It doesn't matter because the situation is not reversed," I glared at him, taking another swig of rum. "If she couldn't even tell us who she really was...who's to say what else she might be hiding?"

"Oh, come off it, Edward. You've seen her. Does she seem like someone who would be out plotting to turn us all over?"

I thought back to her wide eyes when she had seen me shirtless and the innocent blush that had filled her cheeks.

_No._

"Yes." I said simply. "You can never know. Even if she _wasn't_ plotting to turn us all over, there's a strong chance that she may do just that; involuntarily or not. The Guards are looking for her. If they find her, they find us as well. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to the Gallows for a silly girl."

Jasper sighed. "If she's with us, she wouldn't be caught. You know that."

I shrugged.

"She's just a scared girl. You can't really blame her for running from the Guards; it's what we've been doing our whole lives." Jasper said.

"I'm not blaming her. I'm just not willing to risk my life for her."

Jasper shook his head at me. "You're being ridiculous."

"You really are." Emmett interjected, breaking his silence.

I laughed humorlessly and downed the rest of the rum in one gulp, slamming the mug down on the counter.

"You might think so. But I'm doing this so that we don't get caught."

I pushed away from my seat and through the crowd that was slowly gathering in the bar.

I took a deep breath as I walked out of the bar. I ran my hand through my hair and glanced around me.

Noisy as always with people shouting as they bought stuff at the market.

_Alice must be somewhere here_, I thought lazily as I made my way through the streets.

Alice always helped stock up on foods with some of the crew members when we headed in to port.

I winced as I heard some man shout a price out to a lady who was reaching for potatoes.

It was too loud here.

I had to get away from all of this noise.

I walked swiftly through the crowd and rounded a corner, heading farther and farther away from the crowd.

It felt easier to breathe now that there wasn't the sound of people shouting thrashing against the sides of my skull.

I walked along the almost empty streets.

There was a small breeze and the sun was bright in the sky.

I glanced up and saw that there wasn't a cloud visible.

A quintessential day.

_It didn't feel like it._

Suddenly something rammed in to my side hard.

I swore and stumbled back a few steps.

I glanced down to see what had slammed in to me.

My eyes widened when wide, shocked brown eyes met mine.

_Isabella?_

There were shouts and I looked above her head.

Men were sprinting in our direction, clearly chasing the woman that had run in to me not seconds before.

I looked down and saw her glance behind her, fear filling her features.

She looked up at me, her eyes pleading with me not to allow them to catch her.

Tears were building up in the corner of her eyes, probably because she knew what my decision would be.

My eyes flickered above her where the men were growing closer and closer every second.

My expression hardened and I registered - vaguely - making a decision in the back of my head.

My eyes narrowed determinedly.

_So much for doing what was best for my crew._

**AN: I'm sorry for cliffying you guys two times in a row, but I promise you it's not intentional! This chapter was just becoming freakishly long and I decided to stop it right here before my fingers ran away with me...**

**Thank you all for kind words about my boyfriend and I. We're both feeling better now...thank God. :)**

**So, remember back in chapter five when I said that I was speechless with the reaction that this story was getting? Well, let me just say that that was NOTHING compared to what I'm feeling now.**

**58 REVIEWS FOR ONE CHAPTER? You guys are insane: Edward'sDJ, LadyTx, Vanquish13, Kate monster, dried, amberkey, Darcy Knightley, kellyROCK CHIC, Trainspotter1440, shaz308, SarahCullenxxx, sujari6, albesca callimir, Dan-Dan, scareDcat, Niji2075, Kiokins91, Celestial Raven, a, XxTygerRosexX, fallenangel1624, asdfghjkl6532, vampireworld1, takada87, ellisbell1918, majobloem, dipsydoodle, ADADancer, Mandita1, unique rose, KhristenHartgrove, Guest, Australopithecus Karinsis, Alice's-twin101, Helen, mimi9885, Elana86, goobergabby, RiniBell, jmullinax, Guest, ratih choco, smiley face 1996, LuckiLuci, slp1, BC123, lissM, LiLi82, Girl-on-moon, Guest, , one day closer to death, , Guest, electronic blue bubbles.**

**Phew! *wipes forehead* Look at all those awesome people! Just a special shout-out to KhristenHartgrove who has reviewed every single of chapter of both my stories! Words cannot express how much I love you! **

**Original Sin has been mentioned over at the Fictionators for 'Stories that pwn us' so thank you to whoever put me up there! And they're changing it up a bit...you can vote for your favs now, so go vote for your favorite stories!**

**I really don't want to get my hopes up with all the reviews I got this time just in case it was just a fluke...but it really did make my jaw drop!**

**So I'm going to end this HUGE chapter and AN by saying thank you and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW so I can get a new chapter out to you guys!**

**M-J**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

**BPOV:**

I felt dizzy.

I truly did. I hadn't known that it was possible to feel dizzy simply because of the amount of people crowding around you...but I was feeling it.

There were simply too many people.

They were all shouting and talking loudly. Men, women, and children of every possible appearance were crowded around vendors and shops.

The worst part was, they all seemed to be in an unfathomable hurry to get somewhere.

It was as though it wasn't enough that I was clumsy enough to trip over my own feet; I simply had to be pushed and shoved here and there.

I grimaced as a man with a truly putrid smell around him and a shaggy black beard pushed past me, patting his protruding stomach.

I felt sick to my stomach.

It was as though I was physically ill.

It wasn't the first time that I had experienced this type of feeling, though.

I had firs felt it a long time ago when Mother had brought me to a social function. It was inside, however there were far more guests than the room could hold.

I had spent the entire night squeezing in between people.

I had felt dizzy and sick that time too.

When Mother asked the doctor about it, he had said that some people simply experience a temporary bout of dizziness and nausea when put in to large crowds.

_Well, _I thought wryly, _this was definitely a crowd._

The people around me showed no mercy and I was clutching my stomach as I desperately tried to find a place that wasn't filled with people.

My vision started to go spotty and I felt like crying in relief when I spotted a rare open space beside a vegetable and pastry vendor and hurried through the crowd to get to it.

As I pushed away from the crowd, it was as though I could breathe again.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.

The dizziness faded and my sight cleared as I stayed in my little pocket of solitude.

"Are you okay, Miss?"

I opened my eyes to see a small, round woman with a kind face staring at me in concern. She was standing behind her own little vending cart.

I forced a smile. "I'm fine, thank you."

The woman smiled. "Would you like something to eat? Bread, perhaps?" She offered, gesturing to the large pile of breads ranging in size and color.

The smell wafting from it was incredibly tempting.

I inched closer to it and the woman's smile widened.

"You look like you could use it." She nodded.

I smiled softly.

It was odd how out here everyone thought I was skinny. At home, all my Mother could talk about was how I should eat less.

"It does look very good," I admitted. "But I'm not sure if..."

I bit my lip and my thoughts strayed to the little pouch of gold that Alice had given me.

I didn't want to spend it all.

"Oh, go on," The woman encouraged, wrapping a small piece of bread in a paper packet, "There're two things that you should never skimp on: food, and a good place to stay."

I bit my lip, considering her offer.

She was right, of course.

I laughed. "Alright, you've convinced me." I told her.

The woman smiled widely at me and handed me the bread.

I accepted the bread and pulled out the drawstring pouch Alice had given me, handing her one gold coin.

The woman accepted the money and reached in to her pocket, handing me a few silver coins in change.

"Thank you." I smiled at her.

"Take care!" She called as I walked away from the vendor and towards some of the other shops.

The crowd had now lessened somewhat and I was able to walk more freely.

I frowned.

What should I do now?

I thought back to what the woman had said.

_'There're two things that you should never skimp on: food, and a good place to stay.'_

I glanced down at my packet of bread.

Well, I had gotten the food. According to the lady, now all I needed was a place to stay for the night.

I nodded to myself, happy that I had an idea of what to do now.

I glanced around me.

There were only bars, and shops; no inns.

I decided to keep walking and see if I happened upon a place that I could stay.

There was bound to be one _somewhere_ in this whole port.

As I walked through the slowly lessening crowd, I thought back to Alice and where she must be now.

Would she be with Jasper and Emmett? Or with the rest of the crew?

I felt truly guilty for leaving her.

I knew that it was silly to feel guilty because we both had known that this was going to happen sometime.

But I couldn't shake the horrible feeling that built in the pit of my stomach whenever I thought about her.

She had been such a good friend to me.

She had cared for me on the ship and made sure that I was comfortable and even when she found out that I was no longer going to be on the ship, she still wanted me to be safe.

She had given me a whole pouch full of gold that she had saved up.

What could I ever do to repay her?

And _how_ could I ever repay her now that I would never see her again?

My heart now felt heavier than ever as I walked.

Guilt was roaring up within me along with a desperation to see her and thank her for everything she had done.

But I knew that it was not possible.

Suddenly I heard loud talking and laughing to my left.

I turned, curious to see where the noise was coming from.

It was coming from inside a fairly large building. It looked like a bar from the outside, much like every other building in this town.

Several patrons inside were sitting at tables and laughing as they took large gulps from their mugs.

I glanced up at the sign that was hanging over the building.

Most of the paint was worn and illegible but there was one word that I could make out at the end.

_Inn._

I smiled in relief and walked quickly in to the building.

I remembered to keep my head down as I did so.

Outside, in the crowd it was far harder to single one person out, but inside I knew that there was always a chance that if someone took a close enough look at me, they would know who I was.

As I walked inside, the noises grew louder.

Most of the laughing and talking seemed to be coming from a group of tough-looking men sitting in the corner of room.

They all had short-cropped hair and an unkempt air around them.

I felt my mouth shift in to a grimace at the sight.

It was a tad bit revolting. Clearly, the other people in the building had the same idea because they all seemed to be giving them a wide berth.

I glanced around me, wondering how I should go about asking for a room in the inn.

A tall, brown-haired woman brushed past me with a tray in her hands as she picked up empty mugs from tables.

_She must work here._

"Excuse me," I said, hurrying over to her, "Could you please tell me how I could get a room in here?"

She glanced up at me.

"You need to ask up at the counter," She replied, jerking her head in the direction of the counter that was hidden by a long line of people. Her gaze shifted to the line that I was eyeing apprehensively. She shot me a wry smile. "I suggest you wait until the crowd thins a little."

I sighed.

She was right, of course. If I stood in that line, I had no doubt that I would be here for half the day.

"Pick a table, honey," The woman told me, "You could be here a while."

I nodded and smiled in thanks.

I glanced around me, trying to find an empty table. I groaned in frustration when I found that almost every table was full.

Another loud laugh from the table in the corner sounded through the room.

I could practically feel my face fall when I realized that the only empty table in the room was right next to that of the disgusting men in the corner.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

_It's only for a little while, Isabella._

I walked swiftly over to the empty table and pulled out a chair, sitting down with my backs to the men.

I set my packet of bread on the table and prepared myself for the long wait until the crowd lessened.

"...girl that ran away from home? Her Father's the Baron." I heard one of the men say from the table behind me that I had so desperately wanted to avoid.

"Oh, you mean that lass - what's her name? The Swan girl. Charles Swan's daughter."

I frowned worriedly and felt my heart speed up in my chest.

_They were talking about me!_

I fixed my gaze on the table, pulling my braid around my shoulder so that it covered the side of my face.

"Her name's Isabella, I heard." One of the other men supplied.

"Why did she run away, Richard, do you know?" Another man asked.

"No," The man - Richard - admitted, "Pretty stupid of her, though."

The rest of the men unanimously agreed and there was a moment of silence as they gulped down some of their drink.

"I'm getting some more rum." One of the men announced, and I quickly looked down as he got up and walked over to the steadily growing line of people standing in front of the counter.

"I heard she was about to be married to Lord Black." Said the man sitting immediately behind me.

"Don't be stupid, Eric," Richard scoffed, "Why would she run away if she was going to be married off to Lord Black? Any girl would be lucky to be married to him."

"Ay, you've seen his manor, haven't you?" One of the other men asked rhetorically, longing clearly audible in his voice.

I felt a spark of annoyance light up within me at their comments.

Did they truly think me so shallow that I should marry someone simply for his money?

"You never know. The gals these days...always thinking of _romance_. You would know all about that wouldn't you, Adam?" Eric jeered.

"Oi!" There was a dull thump and loud laughing.

"My daughter won't be marrying that good-for-nothing prat, anyway." The man who was clearly Adam said, sounding disgruntled.

"You're probably right though, Eric," Richard said, sounding thoughtful, "The girl probably left so that she wouldn't be married to Lord Black because she wanted _love_."

He said the word like it was something revolting he had found at the bottom of his shoe.

I felt annoyance twinge within me again.

They knew nothing about me, yet here they were making assumptions.

Even if I _had_ left for love, at least it was more honorable than marrying someone for their position.

"Silly girl." Adam commented.

"She could have had a grand life with the Lord, and instead she chose to run away." Eric agreed. "If she ends up dead, it's her own fault."

They all murmured in agreement.

I closed my eyes and forced myself to take a deep breath.

I didn't want to concentrate on the fact that there was a chance that I _could _end up dead.

"Well, the Guards are out searching for her. She'll be brought back to her parents and Lord Black soon enough."

"That's if someone doesn't find her and turn her in before that." Said a new voice.

The man who had left to get more rum had returned, his chair scraping against the wood floor as he took his seat.

My heart sped up.

_Would these men turn me in?_

"Why would anyone bother trying to find a silly girl?" Richard scoffed.

"Didn't you hear? Her parents are willing to give a huge reward to anyone that finds her and returns her home safely." The man said, with rising excitement in his voice.

My brows furrowed and I was instantly filled with confusion.

My parents placed a reward on my safe return?

Why would they do that? I was under the impression that they would rather I simply leave the house.

And I knew my Father...he valued his wealth more than anything else in the world.

Why would he give someone money for _my_ return?

These men were surely misinformed.

Nonetheless, I leaned backwards and listened intently to what they were saying.

"How big?" Richard asked, his attention fully captured.

"Upwards of five-hundred pounds."

My eyes widened and I struggled to hold in the gasp that was threatening to escape from my lips.

The men at the table behind me didn't have as much success. They all gasped simultaneously, and I could practically feel the air surrounding their conversation change.

Before it had been light-hearted and joking; simply scoffing at the silly endeavors of a young girl. Now it was serious and there was an undercurrent of excitement that came with the prospect of having that much money.

Fear filled me now.

I had been fairly certain that these men simply would not make the effort to try and capture me and hand me over to the Guards...now I was fairly certain that they would go to any extent to do so.

"Why have her parents set such a big reward on her?" Eric asked, sounding confused. "She didn't want to marry the Lord and clearly disobeyed them. Why would they want her back?"

_My thoughts exactly..._

Once again, the man that had recently returned had all the answers.

"They tried to hush it all up, but apparently Charles Swan isn't as rich as he likes people to think he is."

I frowned.

_What?_

"He gambled nearly everything but the clothes off his back. He's been trying to cover it up, but word gets around..."

My Father had always had a certain fondness for gambling, but had he truly lost that much money?

I was shocked. I had known my Father to be very unwise with his investments and the way he spent his money, but how could he have put us all in jeopardy like this?

The men sounded as surprised as I was.

In society, my Father had always been a fairly respectable man.

_Of course, what he was like at home was a completely different question..._

"Oh, you haven't even heard the worst of it." The man said with relish. He was clearly enjoying having all this knowledge. I was slightly amused at how these tough men could have such an uncanny resemblance to the women that my Mother often had tea with.

"Well, go on...tell us." Adam encouraged.

"Rumor has it that the Baron was about to go broke. Gambled off every last penny and everything was about to become very ugly; very public. He should thank the Gods that he has that daughter of his. Lord Black took a liking to her and was willing to pay off his debt if he married her off to him."

It was a good thing that I was sitting down, for had I been standing up I would have surely fallen.

It was as if everything froze.

The inn was as noisy as ever, but all I could hear was my heart thumping loudly in my chest and echoing through my ears.

Suddenly everything made sense.

Everything that my parents had said, everything that they had done was suddenly so much clearer to me.

Why my Father had been so insistent that I marry Lord Black, why he had been so angry when I refused...

_Of course_, I thought bitterly, _he had his reputation on the line._

Had he really been that desperate?

Was he so desperate not to have his reputation tarnished that he would sell off his only daughter?

I already knew the answer to that question for I was reaping the consequences of it now, but I could not stop the astonishment from welling up within me.

I thought back to the night that I had left home.

Uncle Alec had been furious when he heard that my parents were going to marry me off, but when he heard that it was to Lord Black...he must have known.

He must have known that Lord Black was the only person that would have the power and be willing to pay off my Father's debt.

When I had escaped, I was sure that Uncle Alec had seen me hiding in the bush...he must have!

He knew that I was running away and yet he didn't stop me.

I felt a small smile curve at my lips.

My Uncle Alec still loved me and I knew that he would never want me to be sold to the highest bidder like I would have been had I stayed.

The men in the table behind me did nothing to hide their astonishment.

"That's why her parents are willing to pay so much for her return," The man finished, sounding very pleased with himself for knowing so much. "They know that without their daughter, they may as well be done for in society."

"Can you imagine?" One of the men commented, sounding amazed, "Why does the Lord Black want her so much? How beautiful is she?"

They all chuckled disgustingly and I felt my skin crawl.

"Ay, she's beautiful. But not only that, she's also untouched." The man chuckled, "And you'd be surprised how many of those high society lasses have been bedded before marriage."

The rest of the man laughed along with him and I huffed, annoyed.

There they went, making judgments again.

"Ah, but that reward," The man named Richard sighed, "What I wouldn't give to have that handed to me..."

My heart thumped dangerously in my chest.

_If they knew that their chance to have that reward was sitting right behind them..._

"Five-hundred pounds...I could use that," Adam agreed, "And if that girl is as beautiful as they say she is, I wouldn't mind having a go at her before I give her back..."

They all roared in sick laughter.

Dread filled every inch of me and I knew that it was no longer safe for me to stay here.

If they found out who I was...if they caught me, I knew that I would be worse than dead.

I grabbed the bread from the table and put it in my pocket.

I got up hurriedly, making sure that my braid covered my face. I made to run quickly from the table, but as luck would have it the tip of my shoe caught on a loose floorboard.

I let out an involuntary cry as I fell to my hands and knees.

The people immediately next to me fell silent for a second, before they returned to their talking.

I glanced up at the table where the men sat. They simply glanced at me with a raised eyebrow before returning to their conversation.

I heaved a sigh of relief and got up.

I brushed off my shirt and started to walk away when a strong hand wrapped tightly around my upper arm.

I winced in pain.

My eyes widened and I whipped around to see who had caught me.

Staring down at me was the same man that had told the other men at the table all that information.

He was even more disgusting now that he was closer. His face was covered in a scruffy beard and he emitted a foul odor.

My other hand immediately went to my upper arm, trying to pry it from his grasp.

I looked up at him fearfully.

He was frowning, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"You look familiar..." His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly and I knew that he realized who I was.

I tried desperately to wrench myself from his grasp but it seemed he had regained his composure and his grip tightened on my arm.

His eyes twinkled in excitement and his mouth curled up in to a sick grin.

"No escaping now, little lady." He sneered down at me.

"Let go of me!" I demanded, trying to sound intimidating through my fear.

He simply laughed loudly. The men at the table looked curiously at us.

"It's her!" The man told them gleefully, "It's the Baron's daughter! Would you believe our lu-,"

I didn't let him finish the sentence. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a mug of rum from a nearby table and threw it in his face.

His grip loosened on my arm and he sputtered incomprehensibly as the liquid ran down his face, soaking his clothes.

Seizing his momentary discomposure and lack of concentration, I wrenched my arm from his grasp and ran as fast as I could through the crowd and out of the building.

I heard several shouts as I pushed through the crowd, but ignored them.

I made it out on to the streets and ran as fast as I could in no particular direction.

All I knew was that I had to get away from the men.

I glanced behind me and saw them shouting as they ran after me.

They all had furious but excited looks on their faces.

I focused back on where I was running, fear filling every part of me.

My legs were growing increasingly tired and my heart was pounding, because of both my fear of being caught and my continual running.

This was it.

I knew it. A quick look behind me showed me that the men were still hot on my heels. It was a wonder that they hadn't caught up with me yet.

The crowds were growing thinner and thinner as the chase moved in to a far quieter part of the town.

I was going to be caught and I'd be forced to go back to my parents.

_'I wouldn't mind having a go at her before I give her back...'_

No!

I let out a small cry and put on a last burst of speed as I sprinted through the far more deserted streets.

The men let out shouts of disappointment as I rounded the corner, away from their sight.

I pressed myself against the wall as they rushed past me, clearly not knowing where I had gone.

I sighed in relief and let my head drop back on to the wall.

My heart slowly regained it's normal beat.

I closed my eyes, the full impact of what had just happened flooding me.

My Father had not only gambled all our money away; he'd been prepared to gamble _me_ away too.

And I had to find this out from men that had just chased me through the streets of this town, trying to catch me so that they could get their reward.

I frowned, opening my eyes.

_What was that?_

I heard the faint sound of someone crying.

I pushed off the wall, walking back on to the streets in the direction of the wailing.

I squinted and saw that there was a small figure sitting on the streets, with it's back pressed up against the wall.

I cautiously made my way towards the figure. As I got closer towards it, I saw that the figure was actually a small boy.

He was curled up in to a small ball, bawling at the top of his lungs. His clothing was torn and I saw small scratches littered across his arms.

Concerned, I hurried towards him, all thoughts of the men and my Father gone.

_What was a little boy like this doing here? _He couldn't have been older than eight.

He must have heard my footsteps because he looked up and instantly cried out, trembling as I came closer.

"It's okay," I whispered as I came to a stop in front of him. "It's alright."

I knelt down in front of him.

He looked up at me with frightened blue eyes. His hair was the darkest shade of brown and his skin as white as milk.

He looked so torn; so scared.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I assured him, with what I hoped was a comforting smile.

He shuddered in response, wrapping his arms tighter around his legs and pulling them closer.

It appeared as though he was trying to disappear in to his own little human ball.

However, his little eyes stayed fixed on me.

The blue was glistening with traces of tears, and my heart jerked inside my chest.

Where had this little boy come from?

"What's your name?" I asked him softly, sitting down next to him.

His eyes simply widened and he shook his head furiously. His trembling grew and I instantly wanted to take back what I had said.

"It's okay, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me." I said immediately.

I sighed, not knowing what I could do for this child. I barely knew him, and yet I didn't want to leave him alone here.

"Where are your parents?" I asked him as gently as I could.

He looked up at me, his blue eyes burning in to mine. A trembling breath escaped his lips and he lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

_He didn't know._

I reached in to my pocket and withdrew the bread that I had bought from the lady back at the market.

His eyes immediately went to it, his mouth dropping open.

I smiled. He must be hungry.

I reached out and gently took his hand in my own. He simply watched me curiously so I took that as a sign to continue.

I turned his hand so that his palm was facing upwards and placed the bread in his hand.

He looked up at me, his brows furrowed in obvious confusion.

"Thank you." He said finally in a voice that was barely audible.

It was so soft and sweet that I felt my heart thud loudly in my chest.

I smiled at him.

Suddenly I heard faint footsteps echoing in the streets and the familiar shouts of the men that were chasing me.

My eyes widened and my heart immediately started beating overtime.

I quickly got to my feet and looked around me, frantically searching for a place to hide.

I let out a cry of frustration when I heard the men approaching and hurried to hide behind a small cart that was standing in front of one of the buildings.

I crouched down and tried to take deep breaths.

I knew that this was quite possibly the worst hiding place I could have found and if the men so much as looked at the wrong angle they could find me, but there were simply no other hiding places.

Their footsteps grew closer and I watched as they all came to a stop, breathing deeply.

"Where the bloody hell did she go?" One of the men snarled.

"We're not loosing her." The man named Richard said determinedly.

He glanced at the little boy that was sitting on the ground, watching what was happening with wide eyes.

He walked towards him and fear instantly filled me.

_Please, don't let them hurt him..._

"You, boy," He barked, "Have you seen a girl run past here?"

His eyes widened further and his mouth dropped open.

He clearly didn't know what to say.

His eyes flickered towards where he knew I was hidden and I closed my eyes, dread filling me.

He would expose me. He was going to tell them where I was hidden. I didn't blame him.

Those men could be pretty scary.

"No."

My eyes snapped open.

The response was so quiet, that I was surprised the wind didn't carry it away.

I looked at the boy and saw that he was staring up at the men, determination clear in his eyes.

I felt a small sigh of relief escape me.

He hadn't told them.

Richard turned back to the men and they all shook their heads.

"Keep searching." Richard commanded, "Split up and look everywhere. She can't have gone that far."

They nodded and took off in different directions.

As soon as the last man was out of sight, I slowly stood up from my position behind the cart.

I knew I had to get out of here fast.

"Thank you." I told the boy quickly before hurrying down the street that I had come from.

The muscles in my legs were aching from all the running I had done, but I convinced myself that once I was safe and away from this place I would be able to relax.

I rounded the corner, prepared to make my way back on to the crowded street.

I froze when I saw two of the men - Adam and Eric - standing mere feet away from me.

They're talking quietly to each other while glancing around them, obviously keeping an eye out for me.

_Okay, Bella. You can make your way out of this. Just walk back quietly without them noticing._

I take a deep breath and slowly place one foot behind me.

A loud crunching sound resounded in the street and my eyes widened when I realize I stepped on a pebble, grinding it in to the ground.

My eyes shoot up and see the men's gaze meet mine.

Their reaction was a second faster than mine.

"Get her!" Adam shouted, running towards me.

I gasped loudly and forced my feet to start moving. I spun on my heel and sprinted hard down the road, not knowing where I was going.

_Just away from these sick men_, I thought desperately.

The wind was slapping against my face and fear was pumping through me furiously.

I ran with total abandon.

I could hear several more footsteps join in with the ones that were thudding after me and I knew that the rest of the men had joined in pursuit. I bit my lip and felt tears run down my face as I forced my aching legs to keep moving.

_Please don't let this be the end._

I glanced back at the men to make sure I was maintaining a healthy distance from them.

They looked estranged, wild with anger and a desperation to catch me so that they could get the money that they wanted so-

I cried out as I rammed in to a wall.

At least I thought it was a wall.

I looked up, shock filling me when I realized that I had run in to - not a wall - but the _captain_.

He stared back at me with equal shock filling his expression. His jaw dropped slightly.

They were still at port, of course!

Shouts coming from the men behind me broke our connection. I glanced behind me to see them still running towards me.

They didn't seem to care that I had run in to someone. After all, why would that stop them from catching me so that they could get a five-hundred pound reward?

_No..._

I stared up at the captain pleadingly.

_Please don't let them catch me._ His eyes widened slightly when he saw my expression.

To my utter mortification I felt tears build at the corners of my eyes. I hated that the captain was seeing me at my weakest, but all I could think about at the moment was avoiding the men that were chasing me at all costs.

He glanced behind me and to my surprise, his expression hardened. His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed.

His hand reached out suddenly, grabbing my wrist.

I gasped, my eyes shooting up to his. He was still glaring at the men that were growing closer and closer as the moments passed.

Using his grip on my wrist, he yanked me behind him, taking an intimidating step forward.

I stared at the side of his face in shock.

_Was he actually going to help me?_

The men finally approached us, slowing down when they saw the captain positioning himself in front of me.

They all eyed him warily as they panted from their exertions.

I couldn't quell the wave of disgust that flooded over me at the sight of them; unkempt, dirty, and foul-smelling.

One of the men's eyes widened when he saw the captain and he hurried over to Richard, whispering furiously in his ear.

Richard's brows furrowed and his eyes flickered over to the captain, a trickle of fear flooding in to his expression.

I knew immediately that they realized who he was.

_Edward Cullen, pirate and a wanted murderer._

"Just give us the broad, mate." Richard said, glancing at me briefly.

I had to hand it to him, his voice only quivered once as he spoke.

I watched, heart thudding furiously in my chest as the captain tilted his head slightly towards me and raised an eyebrow at the men.

I couldn't help but notice that he had still not let go of my wrist. His touch was igniting a tingling sensation in my skin that I couldn't quite explain.

"May I ask why you're chasing her?" His voice was polite but held an underlying threat.

He was as intimidating as ever.

The men glanced at each other as though debating whether or not they should tell him.

Richard finally gave in, smirking at me behind the captain's shoulder.

"There's a pretty reward out for her that has our name written all over it if we turn her over to the Guards." He grinned and the rest of the men chuckled behind him.

I instinctively shrank behind the captain's broad frame.

_Men would do anything for money._

To my surprise, the captain smirked at their response as though he were truly amused by it.

"I'd fetch a nice reward," He remarked casually, "Are you going to hand _me_ over to the Guards, as well?"

His eyes were dancing in amusement.

The idea really was laughable. These old men with protruding stomachs handing over possibly the most dangerous pirate in over a century? Not likely. Forget the brute strength, I doubted whether they would even have the _courage_ to attempt such a thing.

I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile, yet a small giggle still escaped my lips.

The captain's gaze flickered to me over his shoulder and something in his eyes faltered slightly.

I immediately blushed, shifting my gaze back to the men who were now looking decidedly more fearful.

"W-we just want the girl." Adam stuttered.

Richard nodded furiously in agreement. "So, if you'd just give us the girl...we wouldn't plan on telling the Guards about you at all. "

The captain's smirk faded and his eyes turned steely. "Are you _threatening_ me?" He growled. His grip on my wrist tightened to the point of pain, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

The captain took a step forward, every feature on his face morphing to convey his fury.

I saw the hand that was not holding on to my wrist flex dangerously as though it were itching to propel itself in to the face of a now terrified-looking Richard.

I had no doubt in my mind that the captain had never heard a threat before now in his life.

"No, no! Of course not!" Richard exclaimed, shaking his head. "Just-you-didn't mean..."

His voice sounded feeble and much like a little girl's.

The men shot each other glances behind Richard's back and began slowly inching away from the scene.

"Leave. Now." The captain ordered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Before I show you why the Guards are out for my blood."

They didn't hesitate. They practically shoved each other out of the way in their haste to get away from the irate captain.

As soon as they were out of sight, the captain rounded on me, his expression angry and exasperated.

"Tell me, Miss Swan, have you no sense of self-preservation at all?" He demanded.

My eyes widened. "I-,"

"How the hell did you manage to get caught mere _hours_ after you left my ship?" He took a step closer to me and his grip on my wrist tightened.

He was close enough that his breath washed over me as he talked. He smelled like the ocean; fresh and pure.

It was ironic really, because I knew that this captain was the antithesis of pure...

I realized that I had simply been staring at the captain stupidly. I blushed furiously and looked down.

His grip tightened further and I winced, because truly, it was _painful_.

The captain immediately let go of my hand, and took a step back as though he'd been burned.

I rubbed my wrist, biting my lip as the captain looked everywhere but me.

His hand shot up to his hair, and he closed his eyes, looking aggravated.

"I'm s-sorry." I stuttered out, not quite knowing what I was apologizing for.

The captain snorted and opened his eyes. "You should be grateful that I was here or you would no doubt be caught and thrown on to a ship back home by now." He shook his head, "Honestly..."

"Thank you for helping me." I told him quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. "You sound surprised." He commented, dryly.

I frowned. "Well, I didn't get the impression that you liked me very much."

"I don't." He said bluntly.

I looked down, hurt at his statement. I knew that he didn't like me, but he didn't have to be so cruel about it.

"But I'm not the type to let a silly girl who has no idea what she's doing get hurt." The captain finished, narrowing his eyes at me.

He emphasized the 'silly girl' part of his statement gesturing - unnecessarily - towards me.

"Aren't you?" I asked him.

I thought his statement was somewhat strange.

After all, he was the one that wanted me off his ship. Was stranding me in an unknown town supposed to keep me safe?

The captain frowned, staring at me curiously. "No." He muttered quietly. "No, I'm not."

An awkward silence fell upon us following his response.

"Are you planning on leaving port soon?" I asked him.

"Tonight." He nodded.

I hesitated. "May I...may I see Alice one last time?" I bit my lip. "There's a little that I left unsaid and I really want to see her before you leave."

His brows furrowed and his eyes bored in to mine. He finally nodded and turned around, leading the way down the street.

I hurried to keep up with his long strides, trying to avert my gaze from his strong shoulders.

_You're sick, Bella_, I scolded. _Quit ogling him!_

The noises grew louder as we walked closer in to the crowded streets.

People began filtering through the streets and my mouth fell open when I realized that the streets had become even _more_ crowded than they had been when I left.

I struggled to keep my composure as I pushed through the crowd, following the captain.

He had no problem; striding down the streets as though he owned them. People automatically parted the way for him because of his intimidating stature.

I, on the other hand, doubted I could intimidate a little girl.

I felt the familiar feelings of fatigue and dizziness overwhelm me as people shoved past me.

"Captain..." I called out weakly as I was forced to stop. The captain was still several feet ahead of me and I couldn't look up to see whether he had heard me.

I clutched my stomach, black spots filling my gaze.

I released a shuddering breath as I felt someone clutch my forearm.

"Miss Swan?"

It was the captain and for the first time since I met him I heard worry in his voice.

I swallowed, trying to open my eyes. I grimaced as I felt my knees give way.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, making sure I didn't fall to the ground. Unfortunately, that didn't stop my eyes from shutting.

Black filled my gaze, and the last thing I could remember was someone calling my name.

~•~

_"...Make sure that everyone's on the ship. I want to off by the hour."_

_ "Yes, captain."_

I frowned in to my hands that were currently curled under my head.

I exhaled and opened my eyes to my vaguely familiar surroundings.

I was currently lying in a large bed, the sheets tucked under my arms. Around me there was a fancy desk and-

My eyes widened.

_This was the _captain's _room!_

What was I doing in here?

"Welcome back, Miss Swan."

I sat up immediately, my head whipping around in the direction of the voice.

The captain was leaning against the door, his arms crossed against his chest. He looked so casual, his mouth almost twitching upwards to form a smile.

I gaped at him. "Captain," I acknowledged, unable to contain my surprise. "What, um..." I cleared my throat. "What exactly am I doing here?"

His index finger traced the line of his jaw as he observed me carefully. The finger trailed upwards and gently brushed his lips.

I forced myself not to gasp and return my gaze to his _eyes_.

"You fainted," The captain said finally, straightening up and walking slowly towards me, "I brought you back here because I didn't think that it would be very proper if I left you lying there on the streets, yes?"

I simply stared at him, nodding dumbly.

"Do you make it a habit of getting yourself in to tricky situations, Miss Swan?" He asked, sounding slightly amused.

"Only when you're there to witness it, it seems." I muttered without thinking.

He raised an eyebrow at my response.

"Are we still at port?" I asked.

He nodded. "However, we'll be departing soon enough."

I looked down at my hands where they were fidgeting absentmindedly. "Then I should get off then."

I got up, pushing the covers aside. I walked over to where the captain was standing.

"Thank you...for not leaving me on the street."

He simply stared at me, his brows furrowing.

I looked up at him, not quite knowing whether I should take his lack of response as an encouragement to leave.

His green eyes were more intense than I had ever seen and they were boring in to my own.

He raised his hand as though to touch my arm, but quickly lowered it again.

I frowned at his sudden movement.

_What was he thinking?_

His face was as unreadable as ever and I felt increasingly frustrated as he simply stood there staring at me.

"What do you want?" He asked me finally, his voice low.

"Excuse me?" I asked, confused.

"What do you want?" He repeated impatiently. "Do you wish to stay at port or on the ship?"

I gaped at him. "T-to stay on the ship, obviously."

He frowned at me. "Why?" He demanded.

"Because it's safe here...and I have friends - Alice, and Jasper, and Emmett..." I trailed off.

The captain took a step closer to me.

I exhaled shakily. He was close - very close - to me, and instead of making me feel frightened I simply felt confused.

"So you want to stay here." He said, his eyes narrowed as they searched my face.

"Yes."

"Then you may stay."

I gaped at him.

_I could stay?_

He wasn't going to force me to leave the ship? Was this truly the same captain I had encountered this morning?

"Thank you." I managed to say, a smile breaking free and spreading across my lips.

He scoffed softly. "Don't thank me, thank Alice."

_Alice...of course._

A rush of affection for my tiny friend welled within me and a small laugh burst forth.

"I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, Miss Swan." The captain said quietly.

My smile faded slowly when I realized that the look on his face was dead serious.

"Why not?" I asked carefully.

His eyes were calculating as they stared at me. "You're forgetting that you're on a pirate ship."

He chuckled though there was no humor behind it. "You're never safe."

**AN: So no cliffy this time! Yay! And a bit more E/B action. Not much movement in terms of the plot but that's going to come in to play a lot more in the next chapter so wait for that. ;) Oh, and in case you're wondering: Bella is claustrophobic; that's why she was feeling dizzy and nauseous in crowds.**

**I'm so sorry you guys, but I have bad news! I won't be able to update for the next few weeks because I'll be traveling... :( I know...it sucks. But I promise to give you guys a really big chapter when I come back with lots of action! And I swear that this story WILL be finished. I promise that I won't leave it unfinished and once I come back, my updating schedule will go back to normal.**

**Let me just say that you guys have got to be the best readers that a girl could ask for; you just never fail to astound me: ratih choco, majobloem, shaz308, SarahCullenxxx, Mandita1, metuchenite, Vanquish13, LiLi82, KhristenHartgrove, vampireworld1, Kdelbiondo, DriedRaisin, Elana86, Darcy Knightley, pillow912, Girl-on-moon, britchick77, ADADancer, jmullinax, slp1, LuckiLuci, LadyTx, Pearl919, twilighter20, lissM, goobergabby, nothingisbutwhatisnot, ellisbell1918, amerkey, dipsydoodle, Love2readgirl, xTwilightLove, Trainspotter1440, hipstererin, albesca callimir, takada87, Annika Sparks, XxTygerRosexX, Elemental Mutant Freak...and a bunch of guests.**

**And last but not least, I HAVE to rec this story; it's absolutely amazing and had me hooked! It's called: The Search by Amber 1983. Go check it out!**

**Anyways, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW so that I can get a BIG chapter out to you guys in a few weeks!**

**M-J**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

**Previously:**

_I felt the familiar feelings of fatigue and dizziness overwhelm me as people shoved past me._

_ "Captain..." I called out weakly as I was forced to stop. The captain was still several feet ahead of me and I couldn't look up to see whether he had heard me._

_ I clutched my stomach, black spots filling my gaze. _

_ I released a shuddering breath as I felt someone clutch my forearm._

_ "Miss Swan?"_

_ It was the captain and for the first time since I met him I heard worry in his voice._

_ I swallowed, trying to open my eyes. I grimaced as I felt my knees give way._

_ A strong arm wrapped around my waist, making sure I didn't fall to the ground. Unfortunately, that didn't stop my eyes from shutting._

_ Black filled my gaze, and the last thing I could remember was someone calling my name._

~•~

**EPOV:**

I frowned when I heard Isabella's voice call me. Her voice was faint - too faint. I turned around and saw her clutching her stomach, her eyes closed.

My heart leaped in to my throat and I hurried over to her, pushing my way through the crowd.

"Miss Swan?" I ducked my head slightly, my concern mounting when I saw that her face was pale and beads of sweat were gathering at her hairline.

I gripped her forearm, afraid she might collapse.

All my previous annoyance with her and her recklessness was now gone. All I felt was fear for the young woman standing in front of me.

Her skin was incredibly soft underneath my calloused hand; almost like silk.

She shuddered and I felt her weight shift forwards toward me. She opened her mouth as if she wished to say something, but before she could, she grimaced and fell forwards as her knees gave out.

My arms immediately shot out, one sliding around her waist while the other gripped her gently just above her knees.

Panic rose in my chest when I realized she had fainted.

_Why had she fainted?_

I felt a strange tingling sensation shoot through my arms where I was holding her, but pushed it back.

I had to get her out of this mob like crowd and in to the shade. I knew now why she had fainted. The amount of people was a tad stifling, even for me.

It had no doubt gotten to her.

I lifted her up in my arms, her head lolling against my chest as I pushed swiftly through the crowd and in to an empty spot between two vendors.

When I was in the shade, I looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted slightly.

Before I could stop, I found myself admiring the contrast between her red, rose-colored lips and her ivory skin.

I shut my eyes tightly, exhaling hard.

_Stop_, I thought firmly, _stop right now._

It was bad enough that this woman kept worming her way in to my life, without the added factor that she was the _Baron's_ lost daughter and could very well be the reason the Guards finally catch me after all these years.

I opened my eyes, realizing that I still held an unconscious woman.

I frowned. _What was I to do?_

Should I take her to Jasper? Emmett? Or would they be just as clueless as I was?

"Edward!"

My head snapped around in the direction of the sound, and I let out a sigh when I saw Alice walking over to me with a large sack in her hands - filled with food, no doubt.

Her eyes widened as she saw whom I was carrying.

"Bella?" Her brows furrowed in worry. She rushed over and grabbed Isabella's limp hand in her own. She turned to me. "What happened to her?"

I glared, not liking the accusing look in her eyes.

I wasn't so cruel as to harm an innocent young lady. Though I didn't fault her for assuming that considering I had frequently expressed my dislike for Isabella.

"The heat got to her." I said pointedly, gesturing to the overcrowded streets.

Alice sighed in relief. "Good thing she only fainted. I thought she was hurt." Alice looked up me, her eyes narrowing. "How did you see her anyway?"

I sighed. I really didn't feel like recalling the encounter with those fat bastards. However, I knew that there was no use in resisting.

When Alice wished to know something, she would find out one way or another.

"She managed to get herself caught by some men that would have sold her to the Guards." I said, distaste lacing my words.

In reality, my response was speaking of what would happen if she was lucky. I had no doubt that men like them wouldn't simply sell her off without taking advantage of her.

I felt my teeth grind against each other and my jaw clench as I exhaled harshly.

Alice's eyes observed me carefully and I saw her struggling to hold back a smile.

"So you rescued Bella from those men?" Her voice was falsely casual and her eyes were sparkling in amusement.

I narrowed my eyes at her in warning. I didn't like what she was insinuating.

Not one bit.

"I hardly _rescued_ Isabella," The words rolled off my tongue bitterly. "She was already running away from them."

Alice simply smiled and glanced down at Bella. "She's brave." Alice said.

I scoffed. "Stupid is what she is." I said, honestly. "Now help me find a place where we can leave her."

I felt a strange sinking sensation in my chest as I spoke.

_The heat must be getting to me, too._

Alice's smile faded quickly. "You're just going to dump her on this island after what happened to her?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you expect me to do?"

"How can you be so insensitive?" Alice asked, looking incredulous and very angry. "Not only did she just faint, she was almost caught by some men that would hurt her! She won't be safe on this island!"

I knew that Alice was right, but I wasn't going to tell her that.

"There are _good_ people on this island too," I told her. "I'm bound to find someone that would be willing to take Isabella in and keep her safe."

_Though it's not likely._

Alice scowled heavily at me. "You know that even if you _do_ find someone that will take her in, she's bound to be found out eventually. She won't be safe anywhere unless she's with us, and you know it."

I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. "If you won't help me find a place, I will myself."

I had no idea where I was going, but turned on my heel anyway, preparing to force myself through the crowd once more.

"If Bella doesn't get on that ship, then I won't either!" Alice said, suddenly. Her voice was desperate.

My back stiffened and I turned back towards her slowly.

"Watch your place, Alice," I warned her, my voice dark. "Your knowledge of my past doesn't give you authority over me or my ship. I am the captain, and all these decisions will be made my _me_."

Alice's face fell and her shoulders slumped. She looked down and sighed.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But _please_, Edward, let Bella stay. I know that the final decision is yours, but I meant what I said." Her voice was firm and her eyes determined. "If Bella doesn't get on that ship, then I won't either."

I stared at her, my brain working furiously.

There was one thing that I had no doubt about. I had to make sure Alice was on the ship.

I was sure that if Alice didn't get on the ship, Jasper would get on either. That would cost me my first mate, and well...Alice was still the closest thing I had to a sister.

So if I wanted to keep my first mate and Alice...

I narrowed my eyes at the woman still unconscious in my arms. It all came down to her.

I sighed. "Fine. But it's her choice Alice," I said, firmly as her eyes brightened and she clapped her hands together. "She'll stay on the ship if _she wants to._"

"Oh, she'll want to." Alice assured me, grinning.

She flounced over and gave me a hug. Though it was uncomfortable, seeing as she only came up to my chest and had to reach over Isabella, it still brought a reluctant smile to my face.

Her enthusiasm was infectious.

Unfortunately.

Alice's eyes drifted behind me and she let out a little squeal.

"Jasper!" She trilled, pushing past me and wrapping her arms around the man himself.

Jasper smiled down at Alice, kissing her cheek. Behind him, Emmett who was not occupied with a woman was staring wide-eyed at me, having noticed who I was carrying.

Jasper looked up from Alice and his smile faded to give way to surprise. He looked from Isabella to me.

"What's going on here?" He asked me, brows furrowed.

I scowled at all of them. I was _not_ going to recount everything once more.

Alice snickered and I knew that she was going to exaggerate what happened to make me look like I had heroically rescued Isabella.

"Oh, Jasper," She began dramatically, capturing their attention. "It was so romantic." She nodded with wide eyes.

"Alice." I warned.

"Bella was all alone, about to be captured by these thugs. But our _brave_ captain stepped in and rescued her."

"Bloody hell." I muttered.

Jasper and Emmett burst out laughing at my irritated look. I glowered menacingly at both of them.

"Keep laughing and you lot can buy your own rum next time." I informed them.

"I'm s-sorry, mate," Jasper managed between chuckles, "Just your face-,"

"Oh, come off it." I said, annoyed. I rolled my eyes at their childish antics.

Alice smiled smugly, looking satisfied at the response she had gotten. I walked over to Emmett and shoved Isabella in to his arms.

"You carry her." I told him. "Take her back to the ship."

Emmett's brows furrowed. "Er, is there a reason she's passed out?"

"Not one I'd tell _your_ laughing ass. Get moving. Most of the ship should be fixed up by now."

Alice rolled her eyes at Emmett and Jasper's confused looks. "Bella passed out because of the crowd and the heat." She explained.

I sighed in exasperation as Emmett and Jasper nodded their understanding.

I had never been one for chit-chat.

"Can we leave now?" I asked, irritably.

Not waiting for a response, I turned and made my way back in to the crowd. The street led directly to the ports where _Twilight_ was docked.

My shoulders were tense and annoyance was pushing through my veins. I didn't like the way Alice was talking about Isabella and I. Like there was some sort of...romantic connection.

I held back a scoff.

She had snuck on to my ship and lied about her identity for days and Alice expected me to welcome her back with - literally - open arms?

Not bloody likely.

I felt someone clap their hand against my shoulder and turned to see Jasper matching my stride. The crowd parted in front of us as we walked.

It was something I was used to. Many recognized our faces as pirates, though they were far too cowardly to report us to the Guards.

They preferred to just stay out of our way.

A wise decision, for if I found out someone was about to rat us out, my sword would be lodged in their neck faster than the Guards could get to me.

Jasper's curious observed my tense posture.

"Oh, come on," Jasper smiled, "You know better than to make serious of Alice's jesting."

"And she knows better than to jest with me."

Jasper raised a shrewd eyebrow. "Are you telling me you've never considered Bella in a romantic light?"

I stopped in the middle of the crowd, my jaw tightening to the point of pain.

"That woman means _nothing_ to me." I emphasized through grit teeth. "She is a silly, hopeless, spoiled woman and all of your constant insinuations that I would _ever_ be interested in such a woman is borderline insanity."

Jasper met my heated glare with a calm look. "Okay." He said, simply. "It was just a question, Edward."

I took a deep breath, and nodded, unclenching my fists. Jasper's words had struck a chord within me, and had latched on to the forefront of my brain.

My thoughts were consumed by what he had said as we walked to the port.

I could still remember the look of fear on her face as she ran away from those lumbering men.

I could still remember the feeling that had surged through me as I had glared them down with Isabella behind me. It was different from the rush that I had always felt when threatening someone that dared to question my authority.

I had felt...powerful there with her beside me.

And I hated that.

I hated that she had to be with me in order for me to have that feeling. She really was an incredibly foolish woman.

Who runs away from a perfectly prosperous lifestyle?

She had everything any young woman could wish for and still it wasn't enough for her. _Spoiled._

True, she was...attractive. But to see her in a romantic light? No. I would not. I _could_ not.

If - no, _when_ the Guards found her, she would be given to the Lord Black. And she would have to stay there - happy, or not.

I pushed down the twinge of annoyance that welled up in my stomach at the thought.

The Guards would undoubtedly find her, whether she was under my protection or not. It seemed this woman attracted trouble like bees to honey. There was only so much my protection could do.

The sounds and scents from of the port distracted me from these unwanted thoughts and my eyes snapped up to see us standing in front of _Twilight_.

As I had predicted, the ship was in much better shape than it had been when we had lifted.

I smiled in satisfaction as I saw the crew working tirelessly to make sure that the ship was ready to set sail by tonight.

Much could be said about my crew, but they were hardworking buggers for sure.

Jasper grinned at me. "You may want to gather some gold fast, captain. They won't forgive you for making them stay in during a trip to port without a few good rounds of rum."

I chuckled and made my way on to the ship. Alice and Emmett - still carrying Bella - went down under deck, but Jasper and I stayed above to direct the crew.

I crossed my arms against my chest as I studied the patched up sails and the newly-fixed railings.

I walked over to the edge of the ship and ran my hand over the smooth wood.

My mouth curved up at the side.

I could count on one hand the things and people that I truly cared for. _Twilight_, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice…

Guess I couldn't even fill out that one hand...

I cared for my crew, of course, but in the end when it came to life and death, a pirate had to fight for himself first. It was just the way we lived.

If it came down to that, I had no doubt that the crew would do what they needed to in order to live.

And I wouldn't blame them.

I narrowed my eyes and scanned the people littered here and there across the deck, searching for Jasper. When I spotted him near some abandoned rope lying on the ground, I called out his name.

He raised an eyebrow and headed over to me.

"Make sure the crew's ready to set sail by tonight," I told him, "And come get me when all the work's done." I sighed, and ran my hand over my face tiredly. "I think I'm going to get some sleep."

I'd gone days without sleep before, but right now I was...drained.

Jasper nodded sympathetically, assuring me that he would do as I asked.

I trudged down under deck and ran my hand through my hair. I pushed open the door to my room and was about to collapse on the bed.

I froze, my hand still halfway through my hair when I realized my bed was already occupied.

Lying comfortably on my bed, with her hands placed gently underneath her face was Isabella. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted.

I exhaled heavily and fell in to the chair by my desk.

I watched as her chest rose and fell steadily. My eyes somehow were unable to leave her.

Like magnets, they were drawn to her. My eyes slowly trailed down her slender frame. Her mahogany hair down to the soft swell of her hips...

I sighed, and dropped my head to my chest.

"Why'd you bring her here, Emmett?" I muttered.

~•~

_**Previously:**_

"...Make sure that everyone's on the ship. I want to be off by the hour."

_ "Yes, captain."_

_I frowned in to my hands that were currently curled under my head._

_I exhaled and opened my eyes to my vaguely familiar surroundings._

_I was currently lying in a large bed, the sheets tucked under my arms. Around me there was a fancy desk and-_

_My eyes widened._

_This was the captain's room!_

_What was I doing in here?_

_"Welcome back, Miss Swan."_

_I sat up immediately, my head whipping around in the direction of the voice._

_The captain was leaning against the door, his arms crossed against his chest. He looked so casual, his mouth almost twitching upwards to form a smile._

_I gaped at him. "Captain," I acknowledged, unable to contain my surprise. "What, um..." I cleared my throat. "What exactly am I doing here?"_

_His index finger traced the line of his jaw as he observed me carefully. The finger trailed upwards and gently brushed his lips._

_I forced myself not to gasp and return my gaze to his eyes._

_"You fainted," The captain said finally, straightening up and walking slowly towards me, "I brought you back here because I didn't think that it would be very proper if I left you lying there on the streets, yes?"_

_I simply stared at him, nodding dumbly._

_"Do you make it a habit of getting yourself in to tricky situations, Miss Swan?" He asked, sounding slightly amused._

_"Only when you're there to witness it, it seems." I muttered without thinking._

_He raised an eyebrow at my response. _

_"Are we still at port?" I asked._

_He nodded. "However, we'll be departing soon enough." _

_I looked down at my hands where they were fidgeting absentmindedly. "Then I should get off then."_

_I got up, pushing the covers aside. I walked over to where the captain was standing. _

_"Thank you...for not leaving me on the street." _

_He simply stared at me, his brows furrowing. _

_I looked up at him, not quite knowing whether I should take his lack of response as an encouragement to leave._

_His green eyes were more intense than I had ever seen and they were boring in to my own._

_He raised his hand as though to touch my arm, but quickly lowered it again._

_I frowned at his sudden movement. _

_What was he thinking?_

_His face was as unreadable as ever and I felt increasingly frustrated as he simply stood there staring at me._

_"What do you want?" He asked me finally, his voice low._

_"Excuse me?" I asked, confused._

_"What do you want?" He repeated impatiently. "Do you wish to stay at port or on the ship?"_

_I gaped at him. "T-to stay on the ship, obviously."_  
_ He frowned at me. "Why?" He demanded._

_"Because it's safe here...and I have friends - Alice, and Jasper, and Emmett..." I trailed off._

_The captain took a step closer to me. _

_I exhaled shakily. He was close - very close - to me, and instead of making me feel frightened I simply felt confused._

_"So you want to stay here." He said, his eyes narrowed as they searched my face._

_"Yes."_

_"Then you may stay." _

_I gaped at him. _

_I could stay?_

_He wasn't going to force me to leave the ship? Was this truly the same captain I had encountered this morning?_

_"Thank you." I managed to say, a smile breaking free and spreading across my lips._

_He scoffed softly. "Don't thank me, thank Alice."_

_Alice...of course._

_A rush of affection for my tiny friend welled within me and a small laugh burst forth._

_"I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, Miss Swan." The captain said quietly._

_My smile faded slowly when I realized that the look on his face was dead serious._

_"Why not?" I asked carefully._

_His eyes were calculating as they stared at me. "You're forgetting that you're on a pirate ship."_

_He chuckled though there was no humor behind it. "You're never safe."_

**BPOV:**

I stepped out of the captain's room with a brilliant smile on my face. It took all I had not to squeal like a little girl.

A small laugh escaped my lips. I was _staying_!

And all cause of Alice. Gratitude welled up in me and I knew I had to find Alice so that I could thank her.

I hurried up on to the deck, feeling the cool night air hitting my face gently. I looked around and was impressed by the amount of work the crew had managed to get done on the ship.

It looked a lot better than it had that morning.

I glanced around quickly, trying to find Alice in the midst of the crew. I spotted Jasper walking around deck, his eyes sharp as he oversaw the work the crew was doing.

I hurried over to him, tapping him on his shoulder.

He turned around and smiled widely.

"Good to see you awake. Alice told me that Edward was going to let you stay on the ship." He shook his head jokingly. "Luck and you are best friends, huh?"

I laughed. "If luck has black hair and is named Alice, then yes, we are. Speaking of Alice, have you seen her? I want to thank her."

Jasper smiled in understanding. "She's in the galleys storing the food they bought today."

I thanked him and turned to head downstairs in the direction Jasper had pointed me, when I saw Seth standing next to the railings picking up some rope.

My heart fell when I realized he was still mad at the fact that I had lied. I wished I hadn't had to lie to him, but what could I do?

Maybe if I talked to him...

I hesitated, biting my lip. What if he pushed me away? I took a deep breath and gathered up my courage.

I had to make him see that I didn't mean to hurt him.

I slowly walked over to him. He must have heard my footsteps because he looked up. His eyes grew hard and he quickly looked down, wrapping the rope around his arm faster.

"Seth?" I said quietly as I came to a stop in front of him.

"What?" He snapped immediately, glaring up at me.

I flinched, taking a step back. He sighed and his eyes softened. He placed the rope gently on the ground and straightened up.

"What?" He repeated, though the sting was now gone. It was replaced with something more painful - hurt. He had been hurt by my lying to him.

"I-I'm sorry." I said, my eyes pleading with him to forgive me. "I know I lied to you, and I'm sorry for that. But you must understand, I truly had no other choice."

"You _always_ have a choice, Be-," He sighed, closing his eyes. "I mean, Bella."

I lowered my eyes to the ground. "I know. And I made the wrong one. But I hope you realize that I never wanted to hurt you."

Seth eyed me a little curiously, before pouting slightly. "You could have told me." He said, petulantly.

"I should have." I admitted.

Seth sighed exasperatedly. "Gah!" He exclaimed, "Bloody hell, I want to be mad at you!"

I giggled, unable to restrain myself. I had a feeling I was forgiven.

Seth confirmed my suspicion when he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thank you for being my friend." I told him, reaching up and hugging him gently.

It was a simple gesture, but it was more than I had experienced in my childhood.

He hesitantly wrapped his arms around me, patting my back. I pulled away and smiled at him.

"I should let you get back to work. Can't have you slacking, now can we?" I joked.

"No, ma'am." Seth grinned, giving me a two-fingered salute. I turned and made my way across the deck so that I could get to the galleys and thank Alice - which had been my original purpose for coming up here.

Though, I was immensely glad that I had gotten the misunderstanding with Seth sorted out.

It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Now, the only problem left was...Alice.

I had no idea how to repay her for taking care of me so well all this time.

She barely knew me and yet, here she was taking care of me like I was her sister.

I didn't know how she'd managed to convince Edward to let me stay, but I was incredibly thankful.

I decided that I would find a way to repay her for all she had done. Somehow.

I slowly pushed open the door that led to the galleys, poking my head in.

Alice was sitting at one of the tables with the blonde-haired man. Alice was smiling and swinging her legs as she chattered on and on about something or the other.

The blonde-haired man was quiet, but not impolitely so. He was simply listening to Alice, looking half-amused.

Both of their heads shot up as I came in. The man's eyes widened and he immediately shot out of his seat.

Alice smiled widely. "Bella!" She greeted, jumping up to hug me.

The blonde-haired man, however, hurried out of the room through a small door on the side that must lead to the kitchen.

I hugged Alice back but frowned at the man's strange behavior.

"I'm so happy you got to stay!" Alice squealed as she pulled back. Her eyes were wide with excitement.

"Only because of you, I heard." I shot her a grateful smile. "Thank you so much, Alice. Without you, I'm not sure I would have made it past the first day."

Alice waved off my remark. "I'm just happy you're here. It's fun having a girl friend isn't it?" She asked, excitedly.

I laughed at her genuine enthusiasm over something so simple.

"Oh, before I forget," I dug my hand in to the pocket of my breeches and pulled out the little drawstring pouch filled with gold coins and handed it over to her. "I guess I don't need it if I'm staying."

"Keep it!" Alice said, pushing it back towards me.

My eyes widened. "No, Alice. I am not keeping this. What use would I have of it?"

"What use would _I_ have of it?" Alice countered.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm _not_ keeping it Alice." My voice was firm.

Alice sighed. "Fine." Her eyes brightened. "Maybe we can use it the next time we can go to port! We should really buy you breeches that fit, and maybe some more shirts..."

And she was off. I nodded and smiled in all the appropriate parts, but my mind had drifted away from this conversation and back to one I had no to long ago.

One with the captain.

He had told me that I would 'never' be safe on a pirate ship...

Had he meant it? Or was he just trying to scare me?

I contemplated asking Alice, but I was positive she would try to assure me that nothing was going to happen just so that I wouldn't worry.

But I wanted the truth.

I lowered my gaze, anticipation and dread filling me in equal measures.

What had I gotten myself in to?

After finally prying myself away from Alice's talk of buying interesting little trinkets in ports, I made my way to my room and collapsed on the bed.

I sighed and closed my eyes. We would just have to see if the captain was right.

Sleep came easily to me that night. Though it was disturbed sleep, filled with images of the brutish men from that morning and thoughts of drowning in the murky black sea.

The next morning, I found myself feeling far more positive than I had the previous night.

I'd gotten up fairly early and eaten the standard porridge and bread in the galleys with Alice.

Jasper hadn't assigned me any chores today, so I spent most of the morning up on deck.

The sun was warm on my face, but not uncomfortably so since the wind had decided to make an appearance.

I was sitting on the deck with Seth, watching people scurry around with plates of bread. I was immensely glad Seth wasn't angry with me anymore.

I'd spent the morning trailing behind him, watching as he went through his work on the ship.

It was fascinating to see the unique work that could only be found aboard a ship. Seth was incredibly coordinated and skilled for a seventeen year old.

When I had told him that I was actually _older_ than him, he refused to believe it. And he also told me that my age didn't give me authority over him.

He told me he got enough of people bossing him around simply because they were older already - from his brother.

I thought it was rather rich coming from him, considering the way he behaved around Embry and Quill, but didn't mention it.

I thought the idea of my being able to boss him around was rather amusing.

At eighteen, I was far less coordinated than him and my strength was practically nonexistent.

It was around midday and most of the crew had decided to take a break so that they could have lunch.

"Do you know where we're headed next?" I asked Seth, turning to face him. "No." Seth replied through a mouthful of bread.

Crumbs flew out of his mouth, landing on his lap. He simply brushed them off, but I was fairly disgusted.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but I quickly interrupted him.

"Finish the bread first." I said, hastily.

Seth grinned and swallowed, brushing some more crumbs from his shirt.

"Sorry," He said, though his expression told me he was not apologetic in the least. "Anyway, I don't know where we're going. No one does. That's a question for the captain, that is."

"The captain..." I mumbled, shaking my head.

If I had to ask the _captain_, then...well, it seemed I wasn't going to know where we were going.

I knew that it was unreasonable to be scared of the captain still, considering he had saved me...

But I couldn't help it.

There was just something in his presence that made him incredibly intimidating.

Not to mention the fact that his eyes made me feel like they were burning a hole through my skin.

I took a deep breath and shook myself from these unwanted thoughts.

"And what exactly do all the men do for entertainment on this ship?" I asked Seth, with a smile.

Seth chuckled. "Drink, mostly." He admitted.

I laughed at his honest answer, shaking my head at the men's insatiable need for alcohol.

"Oi, you don't get to laugh," Seth exclaimed, nudging me, "Miss Alice has actually been quite the active participant in our drinking. And I don't doubt that once you get a taste for rum, you'll be knocking them back by the tankard."

"Oh, you'll have to shove the rum down my throat if you want me to drink it." I warned.

I had no taste for the foul substance. I had seen too many good men led astray by it.

"Then shove, I shall. We'll probably get our chance tonight."

I shot him a curious look and he smiled.

"The night after we go to port, we always break in the new food and drink. All the men stay up, and if we're lucky - only if we're _lucky_, mind you - the captain might even make an appearance. They only bring out the best rum if he shows."

"Do all the men drink?" I asked hesitantly, not quite sure I wanted to be in a room full of drunken men.

"All of them," Seth affirmed. "Some more than others, but no one can say 'no' to some good rum after a tough day."

"And...the captain? He drinks as well?"

Seth paused, frowning. "Actually...no. I've yet to see him drink on the ship. He might take a mug or too if we're at port, but I've never seem him truly let loose."

"Why?" I asked, my curiosity growing.

"Well, he's the captain, isn't he?" Seth reached over and picked up the rest of the bread, popping it in to his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. "Suppose he'd want to keep a sharp eye on his crew and the ship. Can't get distracted, and all that..."

I nodded, and glanced down at the wooden deck, my finger tracing patterns along it.

"So, everyone drinks but him?" I asked Seth. Seth nodded, shrugging.

"It's his choice, isn't it? Captain can do what he wants..."

"I wish I could do what I wanted." Said a familiar voice.

I looked up and saw Embry scowling up at the mast of the ship. Seth sighed and straightened up.

"Isn't it your turn to be on the lookout?" Seth asked, raising a reproving eyebrow.

"Yes, _mum_." Embry glared at Seth. "And for your information, I was just getting there."

"Yes, I know what you were doing." Seth said, rolling his eyes at me.

I chuckled at their interactions.

"Don't listen to a word he says." Embry warned me, pointing at Seth. "All full of shite, he is."

I gasped at the foul language, but started laughing as Seth jumped to his feet and grabbed Embry around the head, locking his arms around the young man's neck.

They wrestled around for a while, curses spewing from both mouths before Seth shoved the younger man away, struggling to hold back a smile.

"Go do your job." Seth ordered, coming back to sit down next to me.

Embry scowled at him before making his way over to one of the ropes.

I gasped, sitting straight up when Embry gripped on to it and started climbing it.

"What's he doing?" I cried.

Embry kept climbing higher and higher up the rope, pausing for a second before swinging himself to the side so that he could hold on to one of the poles instead.

My heart jumped in to my throat and I scrambled up on to my feet, gaping at him.

"Relax, Bella," Seth chuckled, standing up with me. "He's just getting to his post on top of the mast, see?"

Seth pointed towards a small set of planks that was attached to the tallest pole just as Embry climbed on to it, one had gripping the pole behind him casually.

"Its...high." I managed, my voice faint.

"You can see practically everything from up there." Seth smiled.

"B-but what if he falls? Or-or gets hurt?" I stuttered, unable - or rather, unwilling - to understand why anyone would climb up that high without any safety precaution.

"It's yet to happen." Seth said.

"But _yet_ doesn't mean _won't_." I pointed out, my heart still in my throat.

Embry glanced down at us and grinned, waving at me. "I'm fine, Bella!" He shouted, cupping both hands around his mouth, letting go of the pole for one heart-stopping moment.

I clapped my hands to my mouth and let out a little shriek when Embry wobbled.

Embry grabbed on to the pole again as he and Seth both laughed at my supposedly misplaced fears.

"Quit worrying, Bella." Seth said, rolling his eyes.

I let out a shaky laugh, trying desperately to calm my nerves.

"Oh, stop scaring her." Alice scolded, as she approached us carrying a tray laden with the standard bread and soup that was issued to everyone.

"He'll be safe, won't he?" I asked Alice anxiously.

"He'll be fine, Bella." Alice assured me with a small smile. "That's something they've been doing since they were able to climb."

I nodded, and made sure to draw my eyes away from Embry.

"Here," Alice said, placing the tray in my hands. "Would you mind helping me out a little?"

"Of course, who do I need to give it to?" I asked, immediately.

Alice grinned. "The captain."

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, my heart leaping at the thought of seeing the captain again. "Alice, wait-,"

I sighed as she flounced off to where Jasper was standing by the wheel before I could say anything.

She shot me a sly wink over her shoulder and I shook my head at her in amusement.

I nodded goodbye to Seth and made my way below deck, careful not to spill the soup as I did.

I stopped in front of the door that led to the captain's room. I hesitated, biting my lip before I balanced the tray carefully in one hand and knocked on the door with the other.

I heard a faint, 'Come in', and slowly pushed open the door, my eyes immediately seeking his figure inside the room.

He was leaning against the far wall, studying a piece of paper in one hand while the other twirled a sharp dagger between his fingers.

My eyes widened as the tip came dangerously close to his skin several times.

Suddenly the twirling stopped and my eyes shot up to meet the captain's.

His eyes had left the paper in his hands and were now boring in to me like they had the tendency to.

I cleared my throat and swallowed, steadying the tray in my hands. "Alice asked me to give you your lunch."

The captain raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Would you place it on the table for me?"

I nodded and walked over to the mahogany table, setting the tray on the shining surface.

He was far more polite than he had been a few days ago, that was for sure.

I looked up at him, surprised to find his eyes staring intently at me. I immediately looked down, blushing.

I hesitated, thinking about what Seth had said.

_'That's a question for the captain, that is.'_

"Captain," I said, clearing my throat, "I was wondering...if you could tell me where we were going next."

The captain slowly lowered the piece of paper he had been studying.

"Wherever the waves take us, Miss Swan." He said in a smooth, velvety voice. "Unless I have a goal in mind - which I'm fortunate not to be encumbered by at the moment - I don't guide the ship. The ship guides me."

I stared at him, unable to divert my gaze.

Every little thing about him fascinated me. The bronze lock that fell messily in to his eye, the dagger which he now held loosely between his pointer and middle finger, even his relaxed posture which did nothing to lessen his intimidating aura.

Though the statement was meant to be matter-of-fact, I could hear the passion that the captain had for the sea and his ship through his words.

I was not so naïve as to think that I knew everything - or anything about the captain, but the way he kept surprising me at every turn left me reeling.

A sudden knock at the door startled me out of my contemplations. I quickly tore my gaze away from the captain and turned around, pretending to be busy with unloading the soup and bread.

"Come in." The captain called.

The door opened and I looked up to see Embry walk in, looking excited.

His gaze met mine and he shot me a curious look, clearly wondering what I was doing here.

I tilted my head in the direction of the tray and he nodded his understanding.

"Captain," I heard him say as I looked back down at the table. "I was just up on the mast, sir, and I saw another ship behind us. Pirate, by the looks of it."

My heart skipped a beat, and I had to struggle to hold in my gasp.

_Another_ pirate ship?

I remembered that Seth told me pirates often encountered one another while on the seas...I also remembered that he told me how violent it could get.

I heard shuffling behind me and could see the captain push away from the wall out of the corner of my eye.

"How close are they?" He asked.

"Close, captain. They could catch up with us if they sped up even a little. Are we going to attack sir?" Anticipation was evident in Embry's voice and that confused me.

Why in God's name would he _want_ to encounter another pirate ship? Surely, he knew how dangerous it could be?

I couldn't resist anymore. I tilted my head to the side so that I could see the captain fully.

His eyes were narrowed in concentration, his brows furrowed. He sighed before shaking his head.

"We don't attack. Let them make the first move. We'll see if they choose to attack or not." His voice was firm.

Embry let out a small groan but nodded his acceptance of the captain's decision.

"Yes, sir." He mumbled, disheartened.

He sighed before he walked out of the room. The door closed and I was suddenly aware that I was alone with the captain again.

I quickly picked up the tray and opened the door, exiting quietly and making sure not to make eye contact with the captain again.

For I was not sure that I would be able to look away if I did.

I walked swiftly away from his room, stopping only when I had put enough distance between us.

It appeared the captain was right.

It never _was_ safe on a pirate ship.

~•~

"So, Edward's decided not to attack?" Alice asked curiously.

It was late afternoon now and Alice had come by my room to provide me with more of Jasper's old clothing.

Even though the crew knew I was a girl, I still didn't have any dresses to wear so I was going to have to make due with the clothing Alice provided.

Though I had to admit, I was able to do things much more freely, unhindered my skirts.

"Yes, but you're missing the point," I sighed in exasperation, "Embry had _wanted_ to attack the other ship. Don't you think that curious?"

Alice smiled at me. "Oh, Bella, that's not curious at all."

I frowned. "How is it not? Why would anyone _want_ to inflict violence?"

"Bella, what you must understand is that _Twilight_ is one of the most feared ships on the sea - even for a pirate ship. Never once has a pirate been able to attack us and win."

"Never?"

"Never." Alice affirmed. "Edward is very strict about letting only the best on to his ship. The crew must be excellent in sword-fighting, hand-to-hand combat..."

Alice trailed off and I stared at her in surprise.

I had no idea that such qualifications were needed to be on the ship.

"So that's why the captain was so displeased when Jasper brought me on the ship." I murmured, my eyes seeking Alice's for confirmation.

She nodded.

I exhaled and leaned against the headboard.

I jumped as the door suddenly shot open and Jasper strode in quickly.

His usually neat blonde hair was sticking up in different directions and his eyes were wild.

"Jasper," Alice chided, "We could have been changing, you know?"

"That doesn't matter right now." Jasper said, looking the least put-together I had ever seen him. "You need to go to our room right now."

Alice's eyes widened and she stood. "Now? But...I thought Edward wasn't going to attack!"

I furrowed my brows, getting up and staring at the pair of them curiously.

Jasper shook his head. "Not us. Them."

"_Them_?" Alice asked, looking surprised.

"Yes, them." Jasper said impatiently. "Go, Alice. Don't come out until I come to get you."

He leaned down and kissed Alice softly before nodding.

"What's going on?" I asked, worry filling me as Jasper quickly exited the room.

Alice shook her head, looking astonished. "They're attacking."

"The other pirate ship?"

Alice nodded. "They must be insane, but they've decided to attack. Listen, Bella," Alice grabbed my hand, "Find a place to hide. In here. It's not safe for you to be in their view. Not all pirates are as nice to women."

She widened her eyes for emphasis and I gasped.

"B-but, where should I hide?" I asked, desperately looking around the room.

"Find a place, Bella. And quick." Alice said, offering me a quick smile before she hurried out of the room.

I gaped after her, not knowing what to do. My eyes quickly scanned the room, looking for any nook or cranny I might be able to squeeze myself in to.

I felt like shrieking in exasperation when I found none.

My eyes shifted to the open door.

_I'll just have to find place to hide in some other room._

I nodded and hurried out of my room, closing the door behind me.

Without warning, I felt a hand grab my upper arm and pull me quickly away from my room and through the corridor.

I cried out in surprise, my eyes shooting up to see who had grabbed me so roughly.

My eyes widened when I saw that familiar head of bronze hair.

_What was the captain doing?_

I struggled to keep up with his pace as he pulled me along behind him. He turned abruptly and stopped near a door. He glanced behind me as if to make sure there was no one else there before pushing the door open.

Inside were crates. Mountains and mountains of crates littered throughout the room.

I stared, wide-eyed as the captain led me inside.

He turned to look at me. "Stay here." He ordered, his eyes flashing, "Do _not_ come out. Hide yourself as best as you can, understand?"

I nodded, still shocked.

He was breathing slightly heavily and he ran his hand through his hair, shutting his eyes tightly. He shook his head and opened his eyes.

He reached in to his waistband and pulled out the dagger I had seen him twirling between his fingers just that morning now encased in a leather sheath.

He held it out for me. I looked from him to the dagger he was holding, not quite sure what was happening.

_Was he really offering me his dagger?_

He nodded in encouragement and I tentatively reached out to take the sharp object.

"I'm hoping you learned enough with Jasper so that you'll be able to defend yourself should the need arise." He said, his eyes narrowing.

I nodded once more, feeling a little dumb that I had yet to say a word.

The captain took a step back, looking satisfied and gestured towards the crates.

"Get comfortable." He nodded before shutting the door behind him. I heard his footsteps slowly disappear down the hallway.

I exhaled softly and glanced around me, knowing that I needed to hide myself fast.

I quickly made my way to the very back of the room where a large crate was placed a couple inches away from the wall.

_I could probably fit in there..._

I nodded and squeezed myself in to the little gap, closing my eyes.

My stomach was churning in dread and fear, despite my desperate attempts to push those unwanted feelings down and bring courage to the forefront.

I wasn't completely naïve. I knew what could happen if one of those pirates managed to find me.

It was terrifying.

And unfortunately, _that_ was the only thought I was able to circulate around my brain.

I was unaware of how long I had been sitting there. It could have been minutes, hours, days...

My legs were numb underneath me and my back ached from the uncomfortable position, but I didn't care how long I had to stay there as long as everyone was okay.

Suddenly, a loud bang on the door echoed throughout the room, and I had to clap my hand to my mouth to stifle my cry of surprise.

I forced myself to breathe deeply as I heard muttering outside before the door flung open.

I swallowed as footsteps entered the room. I grabbed my dagger and placed it in the back of my waistband as quietly as I could.

"Where is it?" One of the voices snarled.

"Maybe it's in one of the other rooms." The other voice suggested.

"This may be our only opportunity. I'll tear this ship apart if I have to."

I frowned.

They were obviously looking for something...but what?

The footsteps wandered further in to the room and I could hear them knocking some of the crates to the floor.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself against the wall, prepared to make a quick escape if it came down to that.

The footsteps came closer and closer.

My eyes shot up when I saw the man right in front of me. But he wasn't looking at me.

He was fairly tall and had a large beard. He was muttering to himself, shaking his head.

Suddenly, his eyes flickered over to me. He simply stared at me, mouth agape for a few seconds before realization dawned on him.

Before he could do anything, I pushed the crates that were balanced precariously upon each other in his direction.

I didn't stop to hear him shout as the pile of crates came crashing down on him.

Heart racing, I jumped over the fallen crates and steadied myself. The second man was standing in the middle of the room and staring at me in shock, his jaw slack.

"Quit standing there you bloody idiot! Get the girl!" Shouted the man from underneath the crates.

My eyes widened and I tried to shove past him quickly.

I cried out as I felt him yank me back by my braid. My hands shot up instinctively to clutch at my hair.

His eyes flashed maliciously as he lowered his face close to mine, his revolting breath blowing across my face.

"Got you, lassie."

"Not likely." I spat at him.

_I wasn't going to let him take me that easily._

I yanked the dagger out of my waistband and slashed it in his direction, not knowing where it had cut till the man let go of my braid, crying out and clutching at his bleeding cheek.

I stumbled back in shock as I realized that I had just..._cut_ a man. Slashed him with a dagger straight across the cheek.

The man looked up, glaring ferociously at me. Before I knew what was happening, he had knocked the dagger from my hand, it landing in the far corner of the room.

I felt my heart sink when I realized that my only chance of survival was now lying in between the fallen crates.

All of a sudden, the man lunged for me. I cried out, just narrowly avoiding his arms as I reached behind me, my hand grappling for the doorknob.

I quickly flung the door open and hurried out of the room, the man hot on my heels.

I screamed as I ran in to someone, my fear taking hold of me.

"No, no, Bella. It's okay."

I exhaled shakily at the comforting sound of Alice's voice. Behind her I saw the captain.

His eyes flickered to me quickly before his gaze found the man that was still behind me.

His eyes narrowed and he drew out his sword.

"Close your eyes." He warned before pushing past me and heading towards the now wide-eyed man.

"W-what?" I stammered, my gaze following the captain's moves.

I gasped as Alice quickly jerked my head away from the captain just as I heard his sword slice through the air, followed by a short pierced cry and a dull thunk.

My eyes widened and I didn't dare look back.

"Get her out of here." The captain ordered, his voice rough.

**AN: Hey everyone! Remember me? A lot of chapter breaks this time, I know, and I'm sorry about that. I hate using them because I feel it takes away from the flow, but it was necessary in this chapter. The only way I could have avoided them was if I broke the chapter in two...but I did promise you guys a big chapter, didn't I?**

**So I know it's not the **_**biggest**_** chapter, but...I really didn't want to add anymore because there are some events that I really would like to see side-by-side. Anyway...just to clarify, Edward is NOT a virgin. He has had sex (quite a few times), but he's just not...a manwhore. That would be Emmett. LOL. And, for those of you who're curious, 'shite' is an alternative British spelling to the word 'shit'. It means the same thing, it's just spelled differently.**

**Thank you all for your well wishes! My trip was okay...but I didn't have my computer with me so that part was awful. I started writing this chapter the minute I got back. **

**Thanks a million to those people who brightened my day by leaving me reviews: SarahCullenxxx, ADADancer, slp1, dipsydoodle, lissM, Elana86, scareDcat, Darcy Knightley, LadyTx, 1526, Mandita 93, Khristenhartgrove, twilighter20, Girl-on-moon, ratih choco, your little star, Love2readgirl, Vanquish13, xXxKirenxXx, shaz308, takada87, LiLi82, whisperwind1886, amberkey, Ctorrado, XxTygerRosexX, MIS love Twilight, Trainspotter1440, sujari6, Mz-Star, nd74, Valentine Rain, marlane, .twilight, lizz96, Nissa-Cullen, and all you people who like to stay incognito. ;)**

**For those of you who are asking about my other story, Mio Cuore, I'm so sorry I haven't updated it in so long. I hope to get an update out maybe over the next few weeks. But the school year IS starting soon, so I can't make any promises about my updating schedule...I'm sorry. :(**

**Anyway, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW so I can get the next chapter out to you guys. ;)**

**M-J**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

**BPOV:**

"First time in years someone's managed to sneak on this ship." Alice muttered, frowning. "Don't quite know how they did it."

She sat down next to me and tugged at my messy braid, gently breaking up the knots.

I winced involuntarily, my head still sore from when the man had yanked at my hair.

Alice shot me an apologetic look, but her nimble fingers continued to work their way through the tangles.

"Jasper must have known something too," Alice continued, "He's always a little paranoid when there's an attack, but not like he was today. Today was different."

I simply stared down at my hand, my fingers tracing the scar that had formed on my palm from the night of the storm.

Night had fallen upon the ship and I was fairly certain the entire crew had gotten wind of what had happened.

They had even postponed the celebration (the one that Seth had told me about just that morning) that followed going to port, to tomorrow night.

Seth had tried to come talk to me but Alice had refused him, saying that I needed the company of a girl for now.

I think Alice had misinterpreted my silence for shock or even anger. But I wasn't shocked _or_ angry, merely pensive.

Alice tentatively informed me an hour or so ago that the captain had 'disposed' of those who had attacked me.

I was immediately disgusted.

Not at the captain, but at myself. I was disgusted that I wasn't more shocked or dismayed. After all, two men had been killed on my behalf.

I should be angry. I should be sad, but all I felt was curiosity.

I wanted to know who those men were and what they were doing on the ship.

"Bella," Alice sighed, bringing my attention back to her. "Please say something. You're scaring me."

I was quiet for a while.

"They were looking for something." I said finally, looking up at Alice.

Alice furrowed her brows. "Who?"

"Those men," I said impatiently, "That came on to the ship. They were looking for something."

"_Looking _for something?" Alice repeated, sounding confused.

I nodded, returning my gaze to my lap.

"Maybe..." Alice started hesitantly, "Maybe they were looking for you?"

I shook my head. "They were looking for _something_ not _someone_." I sighed in frustration. "What could they be looking for?"

Alice had finished untangling my hair and gently laid the locks against my back.

"I don't think it's something you should worry about, Bella." Alice said, firmly.

Her voice was casual, but her eyes told me that she too was curious about what the men were looking for.

"You want to know, too." I voiced, knowingly. I turned so that I could look at her fully. Alice fidgeted under my gaze, but she held firm.

"I don't want to know anything." She said, stubbornly.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

She mimicked my actions, silently challenging me to test her further.

I smiled.

"Deny it all you want, Alice. I know that you know something and I'm not stopping until I know it as well." I said, confidently.

A small smile twisted at Alice's lips as she got up. "I know."

We chuckled softly, knowing that an unspoken challenge had been established between us.

Alice reached the door and pulled it open, pausing for a second.

She looked back at me, her smile slowly fading. "Just remember, Bella: curiosity killed the cat."

My brows furrowed at her comment.

She nodded. "Goodnight."

The door clicked as she closed it behind her. I swallowed as I was once again left alone with my thoughts.

And as Alice had just pointed out, that could be fairly dangerous.

I got up and slowly paced the short length of the room, unable to sit still with all these thoughts still raging within me.

It wasn't just the men that I was curious about. I felt my breath hitch slightly.

I was curious about _the captain_ as well.

I hadn't forgotten our exchange from the morning. The one where he had actually been...well, civil. And when he had given me the dagger and hidden me.

If I hadn't had the dagger, I was fairly sure I wouldn't have made it out there unscathed as I was now.

Why had he taken the effort to hide me? I hadn't gotten the impression that he liked me very much.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax and stop over-thinking.

I walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down, my hands sliding down my thighs.

I could hear the waves splashing gently against the sides of the ship, filling me with a strange sense of calm.

I frowned.

I had temporarily shelved all my other questions, but no matter how hard I tried, the captain was still at the front of my mind.

Never had I met someone who was so unpredictable.

I lay down on the pillows and curled up on my side. I forced my eyes to close, but sleep evaded me.

I lay in a state of half-sleep, faltering between reality and my dreams. I felt so incredibly tired, but my mind was too active to allow me to fade completely.

I felt aware of everything that was going on around me, from the slight rustle of the sheets to the gentle sway of the ship.

I didn't know how long I lay there in a state of half-sleep, but when I finally opened my eyes the sky outside was still dark.

Though it was significantly lighter than it had been when I had laid down.

I sat up slowly in bed and rubbed the sleep (or lack of it) out of my eyes.

My entire body felt the ache of the loss of sleep, but somehow I couldn't find it in me to care very much. I was still so curious.

I got up and walked over to the bucket at the side of the room. I grabbed the washcloth and gently sunk it in the water.

I smiled in satisfaction as the cold water soothed my face.

I dropped the washcloth on a rack and sighed.

It would be hours before anyone else was awake and that meant no distraction from my thoughts.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, my feet tapping gently against the floor.

Once when I was young, Uncle Alec had brought back a coin for me from his adventures.

He had placed it in my hand and I could still remember the way it shined.

The sunlight caught on it and I had been fascinated by its simple beauty.

I told him how pretty I thought it was, and Uncle Alec merely smiled and flipped the coin around. I immediately flinched backwards, repulsed by the green-tinge that the metal had to it.

It had rusted to the point where it could barely be recognized as a coin.

Two sides to the same coin. One beautiful, the other fairly disgusting.

_'Everyone has two sides to them, Isabella. Whether it be the pretty side they show, or the ugly one, it's our job to find the side that they _don't_ show and judge them by that.'_

Uncle Alec's advice had never failed me...till now.

If everyone had two sides, then which one of these pirates I had been living with had I seen?

And which side was the truth and which was a facade?

Had I been assessing them wrongly all this time?

I grimaced, dropping my head to my chest. All I had succeeded in doing was giving myself a headache...and I still didn't have an answer to my questions.

I decided to go up on deck so that I could clear my head a little. I didn't think I would be able to handle another sleepless night.

I quietly slipped out of my room, trying to make sure that I didn't wake anyone. I'd caused enough problems on this ship.

I tip-toed through the halls, finding the silence strangely eerie. The ship always had someone laughing, talking, or shouting orders somewhere.

The absence of all of it was odd, yet offered a sense of calm.

I climbed the stairs up on to deck and shivered slightly as the cool morning air hit my cheeks.

The wind assaulted my hair and blew the loose braid behind my back.

The ship and ocean were bathed in a warm blue glow, the sun not yet having risen.

The ship showed no sign of the torment it had been through not too long ago from the storm.

The railings had been fixed, the scattered ropes hidden away, and the masts blowing proudly in the wind.

I took a few steps forward, rubbing my hands against my arms that were covered only by a flimsy shirt.

It was quite cold.

I walked slowly over to the railing, my eyes never straying from the vast ocean that was laid out in front of me.

Tiny ripples pierced the dark blue blanket of water, the light of sun not yet having taken its effect on the pure color.

And in that moment, the volatile, strange, dark ocean didn't look as intimidating as it often had the propensity to.

I gripped the railings tightly and leaned forward, the cool air providing me with exactly what I had longed for.

Calm.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Up early, Miss Swan?"

My eyes shot open and I whirled around, my grip on the railing alone keeping me from falling over.

The captain was leaning casually against the railing on the other side of the ship next to the steering wheel.

His arms were crossed against his chest and though his eyes were as penetrating as ever, they lacked their usual hostility.

The same wind that was brushing against my cheeks had taken its toll on his hair, leaving it artfully windswept.

Once again, I was slightly...well, shocked by his beauty.

He was an incredibly handsome man who had street-smarts like none other. I had no option but to wonder why he had resorted to piracy.

My eyes traveled up the masculine features of his face, my heart speeding up as I saw his tongue peek out slightly to wet his lips.

His eyebrow raised fractionally, making me realize that I still had not responded to him.

"Y-yes." I stuttered, blushing furiously.

I straightened up and cleared my throat, trying valiantly to regain my dignity.

His lips quirked at the sides as though he were about to smile, but he quickly hid it. He pushed off the railing and strode slowly towards me.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked quietly, his eyes scanning my face.

"Well, no." I said, awkwardly. My fingers nervously traced the gentle patterns on the wood of the railing. I looked up at him. "Is it that obvious?"

He was silent for a while, coming to a stop a few feet a way from me. He simply stared at me, his eyes searching.

I grew uneasy underneath his gaze and bit my bottom lip to relieve some of the agitation.

"On the contrary, Miss Swan," The captain said smoothly, his voice low but carrying easily across the deck of the ship. "I find you very hard to read."

I stared wide-eyed at him.

I wasn't sure whether that was just the quality of his voice, or he was trying to be seductive on purpose.

"I just don't see any other reason for you to be up on deck this early in the morning." He continued, his lips twitching slightly as he once again hid a smile.

"According to Jasper, you aren't much of a morning person."

I grimaced, remembering how awful it had been to wake up at that ungodly hour and learn how to fight, of all things.

But now that I was fully awake, I found that there was quite a lot to appreciate in the early morning.

Things you couldn't find any other time in the day.

_Like the captain in a good mood._

"No. No, I'm not very much of a morning person." I replied, quietly.

The captain nodded.

"Most people aren't." He sighed, and looked out the side of the boat, his eyes softening slightly. "It's a pity, really. The morning is a beautiful time of day."

He smiled wryly and turned towards me. "It tends to bring out the best in people."

I didn't quite know how to respond to that.

Then suddenly, his eyes lost the warmth.

His smile faded and his mouth snapped back in to that grim line of intimidation.

It was as though he realized that he was being too kind.

"You couldn't sleep because of what happened yesterday afternoon." He said, finally.

It wasn't a question.

I looked up at him and nodded slowly.

"I will not apologize for killing men that pose a threat to my ship or my crew." The captain said steadily, his eyes narrowing as he dared me to protest.

I frowned. "I had never asked you to."

The captain's eyes narrowed.

"I was merely curious." I continued, gaining confidence. "I couldn't sleep because I was curious about who those men were and why they were here."

I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "And what they were looking for."

The captain's eyes stayed narrowed and hostile, but I saw understanding flicker briefly behind the stormy emerald.

He pulled back, his stance relaxing. He smirked slightly and shook his head as he turned on his heel, walking away from me as though the conversation no longer interested him.

I felt indignation well up in me.

_How rude!_

I pushed off from the railing and hurried after him.

"_You_ know what they were looking for." I said, nodding.

I thought I heard a small snort of laughter, but he tactfully avoided my gaze, choosing instead to watch the waves on the sea as he came to a stop near the steering wheel.

My eyes narrowed at him and I moved to the side so that I could see his face.

"What were they looking for?" I asked, bluntly.

_No need to beat around the bush._

He turned to look at me, his eyebrows raised almost in amusement. "Nothing that concerns you."

"So you admit that they were looking for something." I said, triumphantly.

He merely stared at me.

"Everyone talks about how usually no one tries to attack this ship, but these men clearly had the gall to do so," I said, partly to myself as I put the mental puzzle-pieces together. "If they were willing to take that risk, what they were searching for must have been important."

The captain crossed his arms across his chest, tracing his bottom lip with his index-finger as he observed me.

He made no move to respond, so I decided to charge forwards with my assumptions.

"You don't seem like the type to flash around what you have, so that means they must have known about...whatever they were searching for, before you had it." I reasoned.

It suddenly struck me.

My eyes narrowed and I looked up the captain who was looking at me with an expression torn between amusement and annoyance.

"_You stole something!_" I cried, pointing at him.

Apparently, this was too much for the captain.

He burst out laughing.

He leaned forwards, balancing himself on his knees as loud, belly laughs echoed from him.

I was too surprised to be offended.

He was..._laughing. _Truly _laughing_.

His lips were stretched across his teeth in a wide grin and his eyes sparkled with mirth.

He was...stunning.

His entire face was lighter and, if possible, even more attractive.

His musical laughter echoed through the silence of the morning and I had to fight to keep from smiling myself.

He finally regained his composure, straightening up and chuckling softly.

"My apologies, Miss Swan, do tell me what _you_ thought a pirate would do." He gestured for me to speak, his eyes twinkling.

Back was the condescending pirate I had first encountered.

I frowned, my previous surprise disappearing underneath my indignation. My voice was annoyed as I spoke.

"I thought pirates only stole gold. You didn't steal gold from these men. No man would risk his life to sneak on a ship and reclaim gold; the chance that you could have spent it already is too high."

The captain's amusement was clearly short-lived. His expression was set back in the stoic mask before I had finished my sentence.

Once again, he failed to acknowledge my remark, looking over my shoulder with a gaze that indicated he was miles away from the present conversation.

I continued, disregarding his lack of interest.

"What you took from them must have had personal value. Or they wouldn't risk so much to find you." I said with a glare.

The captain stepped forward, giving a humorless chuckle. "Forgive me, Miss Swan, but could you possibly be feeling _sorry_ for the bastards that tried to kill you?"

I tried to mask my flinch at the language as I straightened up.

"No!" I cried, indignantly.

The captain raised a skeptical eyebrow.

I narrowed my eyes. "Really! Even if I did, I fail to see what that has to do with any of this. I do believe we were discussing how you stole from someone."

The captain took an intimidating step forward, all signs of amusement gone as a glare to rival mine fell on his face.

"Enough. I am captain, Miss Swan, and you'd do well to remember it. I refuse to explain myself to you. Your ability to put a few incidents together and come to a conclusion does not make you eligible for my justification. Understand?"

I refused to back down, my chest heaving with suppressed anger. I wasn't quite sure why I was _so_ angry.

Pirates plundered.

I knew this. But it was that silly plundering that cost those two men their lives. That was why I wasn't prepared to back down so easily.

"Life doesn't matter to you, does it?" My voice was trembling.

His expression was stony.

I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze furiously. "You don't need to justify anything. Excuses don't change what has happened. You stole something and that cost those men their lives."

He was quiet for a while, simply staring at me.

"Can taking stolen wealth really be classified as 'stealing'?" He finally asked.

I was too angry to process his question.

"Do two wrongs make a right?" I countered.

I turned on my heel, irritated beyond belief. I closed my eyes and my fists tightly, walking across the deck.

I had gotten some answers, but I had failed to calm down.

I focused on breathing deeply and pushing my anger down.

I had no idea where I had gotten the confidence to confront the captain like that. I hadn't spoken to the captain like that since the day he'd called me a burden.

_Better tread carefully, Bella. His grace is keeping you on this ship._

"It was a necklace."

I froze.

I opened my eyes and slowly turned around. The captain was looking at me from his place against the railing.

Once again, his expression was unfathomable.

"Excuse me?" I said softly.

"They were looking for a necklace." He repeated. "And it _was_ stolen wealth." His eyes looked directly at mine. "It was stolen from me."

My brows furrowed and I stared at him in surprise.

_Well...it seemed I didn't have much of an argument anymore. _

But it seemed the captain didn't need one.

He strode forwards, his menacing face a stark contrast from when he had been laughing.

"It was my mother's and it was supposed to be handed down to me." He said, his voice low. "They took it, and I got it back."

He took another step forward and I gasped, stumbling backwards.

I wasn't sure how he had suddenly gotten so close, his chest inches from my chin.

"Did I _steal_, Miss Swan?"

I stared at him, my mouth slightly open. His voice was underlined with fury.

"Did I steal from the slimy thieves that thought they could come on to my ship and take what's mine?" He demanded, his form looming over me.

"Did I steal from the bastards that could have killed you yesterday when you proved you couldn't take care of yourself?"

With every word he spoke he took a step forwards, pushing me backwards.

I opened my mouth in protest, prepared to stubbornly emphasize that I _could_ take care of myself, but nothing came out.

He had me speechless.

The captain's eyes were more intense than I had ever seen them. He seemed to be fighting an inner battle.

Despite the cold in his eyes, warmth was coming off of his body in waves. It enveloped me in a pocket through the chill of the morning.

My neck was straining in the effort I had to exert to look in to his eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to care as I saw the emerald soften while the seconds ticked by.

He moved slightly closer, his body mere centimeters from my own. I exhaled softly as his eyes bore in to mine.

Never had I seen such an enthralling shade of green.

He slowly raised one hand up to the side of my face where he hesitated. His eyes searched mine briefly before his calloused fingers gently brushed my cheek.

I shuddered softly as I felt the strangest feeling flowing from where he had touched all the way down to my toes.

He stepped forward slightly, taking me by surprise. I stumbled backwards gasping when I felt my hip hit the railing.

The gasp seemed to jerk both of us back to reality.

A furious blush filled my cheeks when I realized what had just transpired.

The captains hand flew from my cheek as he exhaled hard and took a step back. He shut his eyes in frustration and ran his hand roughly through his hair.

His eyes met mine briefly and flashed with something I couldn't identify before without warning, he turned on his heel and walked quickly away from me and back down under deck.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were trembling.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

_What had just happened?_

I opened my eyes and slowly made my way below deck in a numb state. My breaths came shaky and my cheek still tingled where the captain had touched.

I stumbled through the hallways, my feet automatically leading me in the direction of my room.

"Bella?"

I turned and saw Jasper standing a few feet away from me, his eyebrows raised.

I had forgotten that he was an early riser as well.

He walked slowly towards me, his blue eyes displaying his confusion.

"What are you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep." I shrugged, forcing a smile on to my face.

Jasper nodded sympathetically most likely thinking of the events of yesterday. "Well, at least you're up. You can get so much more done when you wake up early."

I smiled and nodded, my thoughts still fixed on the conversation I'd had with the captain.

_'...Proved that you couldn't take care of yourself…"_

I glanced up at Jasper. "Is there any chance you would still be willing to teach me how to fight?"

Jasper raised his eyebrows in surprise and let out a chuckle.

~•~

"Careful," Jasper warned as his sword came dangerously close to my left arm.

I blew out an annoyed breath and tilted my shoulders back, trying to regain the posture that Jasper had shown me.

Jasper smiled. "See? You're correcting yourself now. You're making very good progress, Bella."

Beads of sweat lined my face and my breaths were coming out fast. My arms were incredibly sore, but I forced them up.

"I still can't beat you." I said, my voice tired and exasperated.

Jasper barked out a laugh. "Bella, I've been practicing for years. You've practiced all of two days."

I grudgingly accepted this logic, though it did little to pacify my agitation.

"Bella, maybe we should take a break." Jasper suggested, eyeing me worriedly. "We've been practicing for little over two hours. You don't want to tire yourself out like this."

"I want to practice." I said, firmly.

Jasper sighed, but nodded. "But in ten minutes, we _are_ taking a break." He said, sternly.

True to his word, two more sparring rounds and Jasper had called a break.

"What happened, Bella?" Jasper asked me as he laid down his sword.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you forcing yourself to fight non-stop like this?"

I sighed, knowing that I was pushing myself too hard.

But not only did I really want to learn how to fight, my thoughts were incredibly tangled in my mind and I found that fighting took my mind off of these thoughts.

And...I wanted to prove to the captain that I could _definitely_ take care of myself.

I needed no one to run my life for me. I had taken enough of that with my parents.

And I definitely didn't want the captain thinking of me as some stupid girl that he always had to rush in and save.

I swallowed and wiped away the sweat on my forehead.

"I want to be able to fight, Jasper." I said quietly. "What happened with those men before...I could have fought them off. I _know_ I could've."

Thoughts that I didn't know I had started spilling out of me faster than I could bottle them up.

"And it just frustrated me _so much _that I didn't. I don't want to ever feel vulnerable like I had in that moment." I told him, my grip on the sword tightening.

Jasper slowly smiled at me. "That was a very good answer, Bella."

I gave him a half-hearted smile.

Jasper exhaled and shook his head.

"While I think it's great that you have that kind of passion behind your desire to learn, I beg you not to try yourself like you did today. Contrary to belief, it could actually _hurt_ the skill you've built up. Nothing screams 'easy target' quite like a bum arm."

I let out a small laugh, my grip on my sword loosening.

"I promise I'll go easier on myself next time, Jasper." I told him warmly. "Thank you."

He smiled and nodded.

I set my sword down on the desk, my eyes eagerly taking in the variety of different weapons that Jasper had laid out upon it.

"Will I ever get to use that one?" I asked, pointing to a shiny dagger that sat on the edge of the desk.

It looked like the one that the captain had given me yesterday.

Jasper walked over and picked up the heavy-looking dagger, bouncing the weight of it on his palm a couple of times before he turned to me.

"You won't be using this just yet." He informed me, setting it back down on the desk.

"Why not?" I frowned, disappointed.

Jasper smiled and moved back to his position in front of me, his sword dangling from his hand. "You'll find that a dagger requires more experience."

"Experience...what exactly do you mean?" I questioned, shaking my sore arm.

I rolled my shoulder a little, wincing at the tightness that had built up in our short practice.

Jasper was right. I definitely needed to take it easier next time.

"With a dagger, you're closer to your enemy," Jasper said, taking a slight step forward to indicate the distance. "If he's trained in fighting, which in all likeness, he will be, it will be easy for him to simply attack you without the sword."

I blew out a breath.

_I hadn't thought of that. _

It seemed that all this time I was wrong in thinking that fighting was simply shoving a sword in a man's direction and praying it would strike flesh.

Sword-fighting was an art and there was skill like no other involved.

The door suddenly swung opened and Alice stepped in, carrying a tray laden with bread and some type of soup.

I grinned as I saw Jasper's eyes immediately brighten at the sight of little Alice.

Alice smiled at me. "How're your lessons going?"

"Good." I nodded. She set the tray down on a table and walked over to Jasper, fixing him with a stern glare.

"Don't you go wearing her out now, you hear?"

I giggled as Jasper raised his hands in surrender. "I'm completely innocent! She inflicts this upon herself."

Alice rolled her eyes and picked up a plate of bread, handing it to me.

"You're taking a mandatory lunch break." She informed me as she handed one to Jasper as well.

I grinned at her and sat down on the desk chair. I broke off a piece of the bread and placed it in my mouth, waiting for it to soften before I could chew.

Jasper evidently couldn't care less about the texture of his bread. He simply shoveled the entire piece in his mouth and gulped down the soup.

His actions were reminiscent of Emmett's eating habits.

Jasper set down the empty bowl with a sigh of contentment and grinned at Alice's expression of disgust.

"I need to check on the crew," Jasper said, leaning down to kiss Alice's cheek. "You don't mind, do you, Bella? It'll give you time to eat. We can practice later."

"I don't mind." I assured him.

The last thing I wanted to do was to hold him back from his duties, as I had no doubt done for the majority of the morning.

Jasper smiled and exited the room. Alice turned to look at me as I slowly chewed on my bread.

I raised an eyebrow at her and she took a deep breath, turning to face me fully.

"What we talked about this morning, Bella," Alice began. "I'm begging you to not dwell on what those men were looking for."

I frowned and swallowed the bread.

"Why not?" I asked her.

I didn't want to tell her that I _knew_ what they had been looking for. And I _really_ didn't want to tell her that the captain himself had told me.

"The more you know, the more of a target you are." Alice explained. "It's bad enough that you're the Baron's runaway daughter. Please don't give these people any more of an incentive to go after you."

I wanted to protest and say that I didn't want to feel stupid, but I couldn't. Her face was so desperate, her eyes pleading that I simply couldn't say anything.

I nodded in half-hearted agreement.

I just prayed that the captain wouldn't tell her that I had already found out about a bit of what was going on.

Alice smiled tentatively and wrapped her tiny arms around me tightly.

I responded, touched that Alice should care about me so much. After all, she really had no reason to.

"I promise, Alice. I'm not _trying_ to get myself in trouble...it just happens." I admitted, pulling away from the hug.

Alice smiled wryly. "I know. And I don't suppose you can help that."

I laughed softly. "No, I can't." I got up and walked over to the desk and picked up the sword. "But I'd like to see anyone come near me when I have a sword with me."

I put on a menacing face and tried to twirl the sword in the air and catch it like I had seen Jasper do.

I yelped and jumped out of the way as the tip of the sharp metal came far too close to me.

The sword clattered to the ground, effectively ruining my attempt to look intimidating.

Alice laughed and I grinned, pleased that she was smiling once more.

"Have you ever wanted to learn how to fight?" I asked her as I bent down to retrieve the sword.

Alice shrugged. "Not really. I prefer watching, actually."

"Watching?"

Alice nodded with a smile. "I find it fascinating. But I don't think I could ever lift a sword that big, I mean look at it! It's bigger than I am!"

I laughed and glanced down at the sword in question. From hilt to tip, it would indeed be almost as tall as Alice.

I hesitated. "Alice, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did you end up on this ship?" I asked, sincerely hoping that I wouldn't offend her.

Alice frowned and swallowed heavily. "It only happened a few years ago, but I don't remember much of it." She shrugged. "It feels like I've been on this ship my whole life."

I understood the feeling.

I couldn't imagine how my life would have been had I stayed with my parents.

I didn't want to.

"My parents died when I was very young. I don't even remember what they looked like." Alice said, thoughtfully. "They didn't have anything planned on where I would go, should something happen to them, I suppose.

"I was left to fend for myself at the age of six. My Mother may have been an only child, but she'd been very good friends with this kind lady down the street. When she saw me, she immediately took me in. Raised me like a daughter. I lived with her family until I was sixteen." She paused, her brows furrowing.

I sat down next to Alice, feeling horrible that I was making her recount this.

"Alice, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't-," I began.

"No, it's okay." She took a deep breath and continued. "Her husband had taken a lot of loans to start up his shop, and he hadn't repaid them. He couldn't. He barely had enough money to feed everyone.

"But the men that he had taken loans from weren't the kind to forget a debt. When it was clear that he wouldn't be able to pay it back, they came to our house and demanded that he pay it with anything and everything he had. He begged and pleaded. He told them he had nothing to give them. They didn't like that very much. One of the men pulled out his sword and-"

Alice swallowed.

"My mum's friend she...told me to run right before they killed her. So I did. I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do...But I ran anyway. I spent the rest of that night in an alleyway. It was cold outside, but all I could feel was fear. I was hungry and tired, but I couldn't sleep." Alice smiled slowly. "That's when Edward found me."

"The captain?"

Alice nodded, chuckling. "I must have been a sight. Thin, dressed in a nightgown, scared of everyone that would approach."

I smiled softly.

"Edward thought nothing of it, though. Forced me to pick myself up. He took me to one of the vendors and bought me a whole loaf of bread."

I felt my heart thud loudly in my chest. Hearing about this new side to the captain stirred something within me.

"He took me along with him on to his ship. He didn't even give me a choice. To this day, I don't know why he took pity on me like he did. I don't even think _he_ knows. He's practically my brother." Alice looked down and smiled. "Then, of course, I met Jasper."

I grinned. "And you fell in love and you've been on this ship ever since."

Alice laughed and nodded. "I suppose so."

Alice looked up at me. "I know you don't think very highly of Edward, but without him, I may not have survived past that day."

My smile faded and I exhaled slowly.

"Other than you and Jasper, no one knows my story." Alice continued. "Not even Edward. And never once has he asked me. He didn't know who I was, yet he allowed me to stay on the ship."

"Why didn't he ask you?" I questioned, curiously.

After all, he had practically demanded to know everything about me.

Alice shrugged. "I think he knew that I didn't want to talk. Edward, more than anyone else, knows about living a life you wish you hadn't led."

I waited, hoping that she would tell me what she meant, but she simply looked down at her hands, a small frown on her face.

"What happened to the captain, Alice?" I asked her, softly.

Alice looked up at me and bit her lip. "Bella, it's not really my story to tell…"

I nodded, disappointed.

"But I can tell you this." Alice leaned in, a small smile gracing her face. "He doesn't let just anyone on his ship."

Her eyes twinkled mischievously and she stared meaningfully at me.

Realizing what she was insinuating, heat rushed up in to my cheeks.

Memories of the morning that flashed before my eyes only served to worsen the blush that was dusting my cheeks.

"I don't know what you're suggesting, Alice." I said, stubbornly avoiding her gaze.

"Me?" Alice's eyes widened in false innocence. "I'm not suggesting anything."

"Well, good." I said with a nod.

"Just out of curiosity, where were you this morning, Bella?" Alice asked casually as she hopped off the bed.

My eyes narrowed and I forced myself to lie through my teeth. "In bed, why?"

"Really?" Her brows furrowed in mock-confusion. "Because Jasper was up this morning and he swore he saw you up on deck with the captain."

My jaw dropped.

Alice laughed loudly at my expression.

"Alice!" I said furiously, my cheeks burning. "Nothing happened! And what were you and Jasper doing spying on me?"

"Not _me_, just Jasper." Alice grinned. "And he's always up early."

I groaned and covered my face with my hands, beyond mortified.

Nothing really had happened, but I didn't want anyone assuming, well...anything.

And I was still confused about it myself. One minute the captain was hurling insults at me, and the next he was brushing his fingers against my cheek.

I didn't want anyone thinking about what happened.

At least not till I could put my thoughts together.

"Oh, Bella, don't be so dramatic." I heard Alice say.

I looked up and glared at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Really. You're acting like it's such a horrible thing that you have feelings for a man."

"A Lady isn't supposed to have feelings for anyone other than her husband." I recited automatically.

I could almost hear my Mother sitting me down and telling me what was expected of a woman. Her face would be pinched sourly, her posture prim and proper.

Alice raised an eyebrow. "A _Lady_ isn't supposed to run away from her parents, either."

I couldn't stop a small smile from touching my lips.

"It's inconsequential. I don't have feelings for anyone." I said confidently.

"Oh, don't you?" Alice challenged.

"No, I don't." I said forcefully, perhaps more to convince myself than her.

"We'll see."

"Yes we will."

I laughed aloud at the evil smirk that had wormed its way on to Alice's face.

There was a small knock on the door, interrupting my laughter.

"Come in!" Alice called.

The door cracked open and Seth poked his head in.

"Seth!" I greeted with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" Alice asked curiously. "You better not be slacking off. Jasper's up on deck right now making sure everyone's on task, you know?"

Seth scowled. "I'm not slacking off! I'm on break!"

Alice raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"What did you want, Seth?" I asked quickly before Alice could express her suspicion.

Seth grinned. "I just came to tell you that we were planning on celebrating tonight."

"The celebration that you told me about yesterday?" I clarified.

"Why are we even celebrating this time?" Alice asked with a slight frown. "Most of the crew didn't go to port; they were fixing the ship."

"Like a crew full of men would give up a chance to drink rum till the sun comes up." Seth said with a chuckle.

I laughed softly at Alice's annoyed expression.

"I take it you're not a fan of these celebrations?" I said to Alice, a little curious why anyone would be opposed to a celebration.

Alice sighed. "Who wants to watch a whole ship of men gulp down tankards of rum?"

"Well, Miss Alice, if I remember correctly you drank almost as much as us 'men'." Seth reminded her, with a cheeky grin.

I laughed loudly at the thought of little Alice drinking along with the men.

Alice blushed, scowling. "That was once, Seth."

"Once is enough for me to remember." Seth replied, winking at me as I struggled to control my giggles.

"I really want to see this." I said through giggles, staring at Alice.

She crossed her arms against her chest and glared at me. "Well you won't."

"We'll see." Seth said with a smug smile.

I smiled as Alice scowled at both Seth and me.

I felt a swell of excitement build up in my stomach. I was eager to see how a celebration would be on a pirate ship.

Well I would get to see soon enough.

Tonight.

~•~

**EPOV:**

The orange light from the setting sun coming in from the window reflected off the shiny surface of the pearls. The pure ivory color had yet to fade.

My fingers drifted up to the clasp, pressing lightly against it.

My chest tightened and my jaw clenched. I closed my eyes tightly, remembering in far too much clarity the sound of that very clasp snapping.

In even more clarity, I could hear an accompanying scream.

Inside my head, the sounds echoed in sick reverberations.

The clasp had been fixed now. Something that infuriated me to no end.

It shouldn't have been broken in the first place.

I exhaled hard.

I had spent years looking for that very necklace only to find out that it was right beneath my nose.

To think that I had only retrieved it a week ago...

I could still remember his slimy, terrified face when I walked in to his shop that night. The same night that Miss Swan had stepped aboard my ship.

~•~

_The sound of bells rang behind me as I pushed open the door to a deserted shop. _

_ All around me, jewelry was kept on shelves, carefully placed to catch the eye of customers. Necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and earrings were everywhere._

_ My eyes narrowed in on the beautiful pearl necklace kept on the counter. It was placed strategically, front and center. _

_ My fists clenched and a red haze enveloped my eyes when I saw a price tag dangling from the clasp._

_ I was distracted from my fury when a man walked in through the doorway behind the counter, his nose buried in a large stack of papers._

_ "I'm sorry, sir, but we're not op-" His eyes met mine and widened comically. _

_ The stack of papers fell from his hands, floating through the air like leaves in autumn._

_"Oh! Mr. C-Cullen! How good to see you, sir! How may I help you?" Volturi asked, his voice trembling._

_ Aro was an old man, his papery skin constantly appearing to be on the verge of flaking off. He was actually quite a smart man, but cowardly. _

_ His gray eyes were tired with age, but sharp and alert._

_ He hadn't lost his cunning though he may have lost his youth._

_ "You know what I want, Aro." I said, my voice sounding dangerous, even to my ears._

_ He adjusted the glasses perched on his nose and swallowed._

_ "I tried, sir," He lied through his teeth, his eyes desperate. "I could get no information on him. He hides it well."_

_ I smirked, though with no trace of humor was behind it. "He hides it from an old friend like yourself?"_

_ "A-an old friend, though I may be, I n-never in a million years would have befriended him had I known what he did," He was rambling, his bony fingers twisting together nervously._

_ "I assure you, sir, I had no part in his-his _abominable_ acts._" _He stuttered, his eyes nervously flitting between my narrowed eyes and the sword dangling from my belt._

_ "That's not what I asked, Aro." I reminded him, taking a step towards the counter. I smirked as I saw him take a step back. _

_ "I d-don't know what to tell you, sir." Aro said, licking his lips as his shaky hands wiped the sweat off his forehead._

_ My smirk slipped off my face. _

_ "Tell me everything. I want to know everything about him. Who he sees, what he says, what he does." I said, fury bubbling up in my chest at the thought of him._

_ "I don't know everything he does. B-but I do know a little!" He added hastily when he saw my eyes narrow. "He-he isn't as rich as he leads people to believe."_

_ I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to expand._

_ "He made bad decisions, you see?" Aro told me, nodding to himself. "Yes, he wasn't wise. So intent to ruin your name...live luxuriously...sold all the jewels early on, he did."_

_ "And you were one of the buyers, weren't you, Aro?" I asked smoothly, lifting the pearl necklace gently off the pillow on the counter._

_ Aro choked, his eyes following the pearls as they swung from side to side, dangling from my forefinger. _

_ "I-I never meant to - he gave me no choice, sir. I swear I would _never_ intend to…"_ _Aro trailed off, beads of sweat now making its way down his face._

_ His eyes were wide with fear._

_ "How much are you selling it for, Aro?" I asked him, lifting the price tag. I let out a low whistle. "Well, you aren't giving it to just anyone. I'll give you that much."_

_ "Of course! It's a Cullen heirloom, sir. I was taking very good care of it." Aro said quickly, trying to justify his actions._

_ "Where is his wealth coming from, Aro?" I asked him, my voice low. "You say he squandered all his wealth. How is that bastard still alive?"_

_ Aro swallowed, his beady eyes wandering all around the room, desperately looking for a way to escape the situation. _

_ He reached in to his pocket and pulled out a small handkerchief, dabbing at his face as he struggled to come up with an answer._

_ "I-I cannot say, sir." He said with trepidation. He eyed my sword fearfully._

_ "You cannot?" I repeated silkily._

_ He licked his lips and shook his head. "No, sir. You must understand - the pressure I'm under…"_

_ I smiled evilly. "Well. That's a pity, Aro." I glanced at the necklace dangling from my finger. "I'll just keep this until you are more willing to open up with me."_

_ Aro's jaw dropped. "No! I paid an arm and a leg for it!"_

_ I laughed, dropping my hand and clutching the necklace tightly as I backed away from him._

_ "You'll pay a lot more than an arm and a leg if you _ever_ try to take my stuff again, Aro."_

_ Turning on my heel, I pushed through the door to the store. _

~•~

Aro would tell me what I needed to know in the end. They always did.

I swallowed.

It was the first time in years that I had seen the necklace. I couldn't describe the feelings that had coursed through me when I laid eyes on it.

Anger, yes. But something else somewhat akin to nostalgia hit me like a blow to the gut.

Even now, every time my fingers brushed across the smooth surface, I had to swallow to push down the knot that built up in my throat.

I stood from my bed and walked over to my desk, pulling open the drawer.

I carefully placed the necklace inside it and stepped back, running my hands through my hair.

I had been completely and utterly useless today.

Not once had I gone up on deck.

I probably wouldn't have been of much use if I had even gone up on deck. I simply had too much on my mind to concentrate on much else.

The events of the morning had consumed my brain.

I would have to admit that it surprised me to see Miss Swan up so early. Though after the events of yesterday, I couldn't blame her.

She was curious, of course, about what the men had been searching for.

Too curious.

And I was still shocked that I had told her.

Jasper and Emmett barely knew why I had taken the necklace. And the rest of the crew didn't know anything at all.

Why had I told her?

Maybe it was her anger.

I found that I quite liked seeing her angry. Her eyes would sparkle and she tended to say whatever came to her mind when that particular emotion consumed her.

But I didn't want all that anger to be directed at me.

Not when it was so unwarranted.

I was not at fault - even in the least. I wanted to clear my name, even if only with one person.

And after that…

I had no explanation for what had occurred.

I didn't mean to touch her. I didn't mean to think of her softly at all. Yet, it had happened.

I wanted to be angry and annoyed at myself for touching her like that. But all I could think of was how soft her cheek had been.

Under my calloused fingers, her skin had felt like silk.

I shook my head at myself.

It could not happen again. She was attractive of course, but that was as far as the connection between us would go.

I would make sure of it.

Suddenly I heard raucous laughter echo from the deck and I groaned.

I had forgotten.

Tonight was the celebration.

They hadn't gotten a chance to do it yesterday, so I had no doubt that tonight was going to be twice as bad as it usually was.

I shook my head and stood up.

I might as well make sure that no one was thrown overboard while they were drunk.

It was my job as captain to stay sober and make sure that some semblance of order was retained on the ship.

The sun had set and darkness was starting to descend on the ship. I knew that soon enough, I would be carting off men to make sure they ended up in their beds and not on the deck.

I unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing and quickly swapped it for a new one.

I quickly washed my face with a damp washcloth.

I made my way through the hallways and in to the galleys - where the crew was holed up, shouting and laughing as they all nursed a mug of rum.

I made my way inside, grimacing at the noise level.

My eyes immediately sought out Jasper and Emmett who were sitting at a table at the far end of the room.

A mug of rum was in front of each of them, but they had yet to lay hands on it.

They wouldn't drink until they were sure that I was fit to take care of the ship should they be...unable to.

I pushed through the already drunken men quickly. I saw Jasper and Emmett's faces light up when they saw me.

I couldn't stop the amused smile from filling my face when I saw them gulping down the rum before I even had a chance to take a seat across from them.

Emmett sighed contentedly, slamming down his now empty mug. He wiped the foam from his upper lip and smiled goofily at me.

"Good to see 'ya, captain!" He shouted above the chaos in the room.

I chuckled.

Jasper set down his mug and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Where were you? You've been missing all day." He said, eyeing me suspiciously.

I simply shrugged, not in the mood to answer his question.

Jasper shot me a look but let it go.

Emmett quickly roared for more rum, allowing me to do a quick scan of the room as Emmett and Jasper buried themselves in their drinks.

I saw Alice laughing with Seth in a nearby table, looking fairly drunk herself.

I chuckled.

Before I could continue my scan of the room, brown eyes caught mine, freezing my gaze.

Miss Swan was sitting next to Alice, her hands clutching a much smaller mug of rum.

Her eyes were looking directly at me, her lips parted slightly.

I involuntarily chafed my fingers against each other, the feeling of her silky skin not yet having left my hands.

I shook my head, breaking my gaze. I slammed my hands down on the table and pushed away.

Emmett was too interested in his rum to notice, but Jasper shot me a questioning look.

"I'm going up on deck." I informed him. He nodded, still looking a little curious.

I carefully avoided Miss Swan's gaze as I pushed through the crowd.

The farther I got from the galleys, the clearer my head felt.

Away from the noise, I could finally hear my own thoughts. I made my way on to the deck and took a deep breath.

Darkness surrounded the ship and I was glad to be alone.

I walked to the edge of the ship and leaned forward, resting my elbows on the railing of the ship.

The wind combed through my hair, the breeze a welcome force as it massaged my head.

I heard the clearing of a throat behind me. "Captain?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, pushing down the quickening that I felt in my chest.

"I was hoping to be alone for a moment, Miss Swan."

I opened my eyes and turned to see her a few feet away from me. She was biting her lip, looking far more nervous than I had ever seen her.

"I-I'm sorry," She glanced down at her feet, "I just wanted to apologize for this morning."

My brows furrowed. "Apologize?"

She nodded. "I shouldn't have made those assumptions about you…" She swallowed, "Being a thief. I apologize for jumping to conclusions."

I stared at her in surprise. "Accepted." I replied in a state of shock.

She gave a quick jerk of her head, her mahogany hair falling down over her face. "Yes, well, I'll leave you alone now." She turned quickly to leave.

Without conscious thought, I moved forward and grabbed her arm gently.

She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

I swallowed. "Y-you don't have to leave." I told her. "You can stay."

"I thought you wanted to be alone," She said, looking a little confused.

I gave her a half-shrug. "I'll survive."

Her brows furrowed at first before a small smile filled her face. She bit her lip to try and hide it from me.

She nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She crossed her arms across her stomach and made her way to the railing. Her lips were still tilted upwards in a smile.

And before I knew what I was doing, I found myself smiling along with her.

**AN: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I truly could not feel worse. It's been forever since I've updated. Life has been an absolute killer. My grandmother had a pretty serious stroke, and I had to be there for her and my mother. And on top of that, it's my senior year in college and I've been working day and night. I just hope that this long chapter makes up for it…**

**Thank you to all of you wonderful reviewers! You kept me sane when my life was pretty much spinning off the tracks. KhristenHartgrove, Vanquish13, Valentine Rain, Kate Monster, LiLi82, Girl-on-moon, sujari6, SarahCullenxxx, LadyTx, Dollsrme, Darcy Knightley, albesca callimir, Mandita 93, chewybrownies7, LuckiLuci, Isabel, bc, xXxKirenxXx, Elana86, Dan-Dan, dipsydoodle, Jackkyn L, DodgerMcClure, amberkey, Reader, ellisbell1918, Mz-Star, shaz308, whisperwind1886, BC123, krmyers10, Amy, takada87, The Tomboy in Pink, robsmom, marie cr, Live To Ride, mystifylove, Trainspotter1440, Plateheadlover, Laura, ADADancer, Love2readgirl, icrodriguez, RpattzLuvor, closethemeyesandmakeawish, Ella, m0t0b33, XxTygerRosexX, slumpsgirl812, stephi910, Nissa-Cullen, and all you people who prefer to remain incognito! ;)**

**I created a thread on Twilighted for Original Sin, so head on over there if you want! I post teasers when I can.**

**Last, but not least, I just want to thank all of you for sticking with me. It hasn't been easy, but I am so amazed at how much this story has grown. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart!**

**We made it 10 chapters! *woot-woot***

**Review, review, review, and I promise the next update will come sooner than this one did! ;)**

**M-J**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

**BPOV:**

_Side to side. Avoid the nails._

"Look what I found."

I rested the mop against my shoulder and glanced over to see Seth standing next to me with a broad grin on his face.

In his hands he held what looked like a brown-colored...wig!

"My wig!" I exclaimed, reaching out and touching the coarse netting underneath the hair.

Seth laughed at my excitement. "I found it at the back of the ship buried in between some boxes."

I took it from him and grinned. "I thought I'd lost it. I can't believe it survived that storm when most of the ship didn't."

I placed it on the ground next to the bucket full of water, careful not to let it get wet.

"Don't you go insulting _Twilight_ like that," Seth said mockingly, shaking a reproving finger in my face. "If the captain heard you saying that, he'd go mad."

I rolled my eyes, feeling heat rise to my face at the mention of the captain.

"How are you so happy this morning? You drank enough rum to sink a ship last night!" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Seth simply smiled smugly.

"I didn't _dare_ go near Alice this morning." I continued. "I could hear her moaning from my room."

Seth laughed loudly. "A problem Alice has, I think. She can't resist drinking, but pays for it dearly the next morning."

I glanced over at the rest of the crew who seemed just as energetic as Seth. They were all tending to their chores, laughing with each other.

I would think that I had merely dreamt up last night had I not seen the havoc it had wreaked upon poor Alice.

"The crew seems fine." I told Seth. Seth glanced over at them.

"Aye. They're used to it - like me. Doesn't really effect them anymore." Seth grinned down at me. "Us pirates know how to hold our liquor, Bella."

I chuckled at him. "'Course you do. With the amount you lot drink…" I trailed off, shaking my head.

"Make fun of us all you like. I'll have you drinking soon enough. This isn't anything I haven't gone through with Miss Alice." Seth laughed.

I shook my head in amusement and picked up my mop from its place on my shoulder.

I gently sank it in the bucket of water next to me and resumed my mopping of the deck.

I heard Seth sigh and lean back against the railing.

It was about midday and the sun was at its peak, beating down harshly against my neck. I could feel strands of my hair sticking to my face.

But I didn't mind.

Frankly, it felt good to be of some use. If I was going to be a part of the crew - _truly_ a part of the crew, I wanted to be working just like they were.

I didn't want to be pitied just because I was a girl.

"Do you miss your parents?" Seth asked suddenly.

I glanced up at him, surprised. "My parents?"

Seth nodded. "You ran away, didn't you? Do you miss them at all?"

I frowned and looked down.

The truth was I didn't know much about them. They were a staple in the manor, I supposed. Always around, finding little things to complain to the servants about.

They may have been a staple in the manor, but not so much in my life. Mrs. Webber raised me, and Angela cared for me after that.

If I had any problems, I would have gone to her.

Did I miss my home? The gardens? Angela? Definitely.

But my parents?

I wasn't sure. They made stupid decisions, sure. But in the end, they _were_ my parents, weren't they?

Then I thought back to what I had heard in the bar that day.

_"He should thank the Gods that he has that daughter of his. Lord Black took a liking to her and was willing to pay off his debt if he married her off to him."_

The memory still left a bitter taste in my mouth. To my Father, I had been little less than a possession. But who was he to me?

A broken, debt-filled, and desperate man, he may have been.

But that man was my Father.

"Yes. I suppose I do." I said quietly.

I shook my head and urged my hands to resume their task. I forced the mop across the deck, watching as the slight covering of dust that had gathered disappeared.

The silence grew thick around us and I could feel Seth's gaze on me.

When he finally spoke, he sounded shocked. "How can you miss them? I thought the reason you ran away from them was because you hated them."

I furrowed my brows. "No. I ran away because I didn't want to get married to the man they had picked out for me."

I glanced up at him with a frown. "Who told you that I left because I hated them?" I asked.

Seth shrugged. "Just something that some of the lads were saying."

"Well, you've been misinformed." I told him. "Yes, I disliked society and I hated that it had caught my Father and Mother up in its little web, but…"

I sighed and shrugged, not knowing what to say.

Seth opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a shout from nearby.

"Oi, Seth! What happened to five minutes, eh?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see Quill and Embry standing a few feet away from us, arms crossed.

I hastily covered my mouth with my hand, stifling a laugh that was trying desperately to break free.

Their hair was sticking up messily, their eyes were bloodshot and tired, and their clothes looked like someone had used them as a towel.

I knew for a fact that they had drank only as much as Seth, and possibly _less_ than some of the other crew.

Yet here they were, looking like…well, they just looked plain awful.

"Are you both alright?" I asked them, trying to mask my amusement under an expression of concern.

"We will be," Embry growled, his narrowed eyes fixed on Seth. "Once _he_ stops avoiding his chores."

"You just up and left us with that pile of boxes!" Quill accused. "What happened to friendship? To helping each other?"

I glanced over at Seth, torn between amusement and confusion. He simply rolled his eyes.

"Oh," Embry's eyes widened in mock-epiphany. "I know what this is about. Oh, I dreaded this day. You're leaving your mates all for a girl!"

"Oh, shut up both of you." Seth said. "I said I'd be back, I never said when."

"Alright then, fine!" Quill threw up his hands in surrender. "I'll save some boxes for you to move on New Years, shall I?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"That'd be great, thanks." Seth shot him an equally sarcastic smile.

I chuckled as Quill and Embry retreated to the back of the ship, muttering to themselves and shooting glares at Seth over their shoulders.

"I thought you said that the crew knows how to hold their liquor." I commented with a smile. "They don't look too good, do they?"

"You're being nice. They look like crap." Seth corrected, making me laugh. "They're still young. Haven't been drinking as long as some of the others."

I nodded in understanding.

A few seconds passed and I raised an eyebrow at Seth when he made no move to follow Embry and Quill.

"I'm starting to think you really _are_ only going to help them on New Years."

"Alright, alright! I'm going!" Seth said, sounding put-out.

I laughed as he walked as slow as possible to the back of the ship where Quill and Embry were.

My smile faded as I looked down again.

I couldn't forget the conversation Seth and I had had before Quill and Embry came over.

I groaned and rested my forehead on the top of the mop handle.

_Why _did I miss my parents?

I didn't want to miss them. They were just getting ready to sell me off to some..._pig_ of a man and I actually _miss_ them?

It was ridiculous the way I was feeling and it angered me.

"Bella!"

I screamed as large arms suddenly wrapped around my waist and lifted me up in the air.

I struggled to regain my breath as I was finally set back down on my feet.

"Emmett!" I gasped as Emmett's grinning face came in to view. "What was that for?"

This kind of contact with anyone was still foreign to me. Hugs and kisses in public were so looked down upon in the society that I grew up in.

"You looked sad." Emmett said simply.

"I'm not sad, Emmett." I took a deep breath, trying to slow my heart. "Though my heart may never beat quite the same after that."

Emmett's grin widened. "I thought Jasper was teaching you how to fight. Didn't he teach you to expect the unexpected?"

He shook his head and tutted loudly.

"I knew he was incompetent. You should have come to _me_. After all, I _am_ the better fighter." Emmett winked.

I chuckled at his antics. "Sure, Emmett. What did you want?"

"Edward wants you to get to work." Emmett informed me.

_Get to work?_

My jaw dropped. "What is that supposed to mean? I've been working all morning!" I cried indignantly.

"Yes, this is _one clean_ deck." Emmett deadpanned.

I glared at him. "The _captain_ is the one who gave me this job in the first place, so you can go tell _him_-"

"Calm down, Bella. I'm just kidding." Emmett chuckled.

"Emmett!" I scowled.

He grinned. "He wants you to go help Alice in the kitchens. She's not feeling her best today."

I nodded, grinning. "Should I be afraid?"

"Very." Emmett looked serious.

I glanced down at the mop.

"Should I hand this over to someone else?" I asked him.

Emmett shot me a mock-offended look. "I _am _the one who taught you how to mop, Bella. You think I can't do it?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to do it?"

"No way." Emmett snorted. He glanced around. "Quill! Get over here, you're mopping."

"What?" Quill's indignant cry was muffled by loud barks of laughter from Seth and Embry.

I laughed loudly and Emmett grinned down at me. "Go help Alice, I'll take care of them." He assured me, nodding towards the door that led below deck.

I made my way below deck, the sound of Quill's protests following me all the way.

I smiled. The cool air of the inside of the ship soothed my skin, a stark contrast from the burning heat outside.

Frankly, I was glad that Emmett had come to tell me that I was to shift jobs. It had to be almost noon and the sun was at its peak, the back of my burnt neck being evidence.

It seemed I wasn't the only one suffering from the effects of the sun.

Several of the crew members were idling around in the hallways, dabbing at their foreheads with handkerchiefs.

A few offered me small smiles as I passed them, which I returned. Others simply looked at me curiously.

I had been on the ship for a while yet it seemed the crew had not fully grown accustomed to my presence; Seth, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice being the exceptions.

Even yesterday in the midst of celebration, men would crane their necks to get a look at me.

It was strange. And slightly uncomfortable.

But I endured it. After all, it could be so much worse. None of them had been at all as cruel as I had expected.

I rounded the corner and saw a tall man walk out of the door to the galleys.

"Hello, Bella." Jonathan greeted with a warm smile.

I hadn't talked to Jonathan very much since he had introduced himself to me that morning in the galleys, but it wasn't hard to see that he was a friendly man.

"Hello." I smiled.

"Are you going to help Alice?" He asked, nodding towards the door he had just come through.

I nodded and Jonathan grinned. "I'd be careful if I were you, lass. She's in a foul disposition."

I bit my lip to hide my smile and nodded. "I'll be careful."

Jonathan shot me one last smile before walking past me. I slowly pushed open the door and walked in.

The room was void of the throngs of people from last night, but the evidence still remained. The tables lay in complete disarray and empty mugs were littered throughout the room.

I heard a low moan from the other side of the room. I glanced over to where the sound had come from and couldn't hold back a laugh.

Alice was sitting at one of the only upright tables, her head buried in her arms. Her short hair was sticking up in every possible direction as though she had ran her hands through it several times.

At the sound of my laugh she lifted her head, glaring at me through bleary eyes.

"Don't you laugh," She growled. "It's your fault I'm in this position right now."

"_My _fault?" I echoed with a chuckle.

"Yes. _Your_ fault. You should have told me not to drink. Grabbed the mug out of my hand, if it came down to that." She justified, slumping low in her chair.

"I'm sorry, Alice," I said, making my way over to her. "But I don't believe anyone could have forced the rum away from you last night."

I lifted one of the overturned chairs and sat down next to Alice.

She let out a pitiful mewl and rested her head against my shoulder. "Thank you for helping me out, Bella. I don't think I can do anything today."

"I can't count the number of times you've helped me," I said honestly. "I owe you this and so much more."

Alice gave a half-laugh, half-snort. She lifted her head off my shoulder and let out a loud moan.

I would have truly pitied her if I didn't know that she would drink again if presented with the opportunity.

"Just tell me what I have to do." I said.

"Well, we definitely have to make this place fit for inhabitation again." She glanced around her, scrunching her nose in disgust.

I laughed and agreed. "But...what about the tables?" I asked, uncertainly. "I can't lift those."

"Someone will be here to help you." Alice assured me.

Loud thumping suddenly echoed throughout the room. I curiously looked towards the door behind the counter where it had come from.

"Oh, that's just James." Alice told me.

"James?" I repeated, confused.

"I don't think you've officially met him. He works in the kitchens with me, mostly."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering the blonde man that I had met the day of the storm. "Is he the cook?"

Alice nodded. "An _amazing _cook, too. We don't let him get creative enough with the food around here. You can work with him in the back."

I hesitated. "Isn't he a little...shy?"

I could still remember the way he had left the room the minute I had entered. I was doubtful of whether he would be willing to show me what to do.

Alice smiled. "Don't worry. He's shy, but he's one of the nicest blokes I've ever met. You won't have any problem working with him."

She pointed to the door behind the counter. "With most of the rum emptied, we have more space for spices and food. Right now, most of them are on the floor."

"So you want me to organize them on the shelves?" I clarified.

She nodded.

I nodded, surveying the room. "I can handle this, Alice. You need to be in bed."

She groaned. "That's the best piece of advice I've ever received. Thank you so much, Bella."

I stifled a giggle, watching as she got up and slowly made her way towards the door, wincing all the way.

I bit my lip and stared apprehensively at the door that led to the shelves.

I wasn't very good at talking to people whom I didn't know myself.

I forced myself to get up - this was a favor to Alice. She was the reason I was still on the ship. The least I could do was organize some shelves for her.

I walked behind the counter and over to the door, hesitated before knocking three times.

I heard a soft '_come in_' and slowly pushed open the door.

The room was much larger than I had expected it to be, shelves lining the walls.

Sacks upon sacks of flour were stacked in one corner, while other small bags full of spices were placed in another corner.

I was distracted from my appraisal of the room when I heard a dull thud.

I turned towards the direction of the sound only to see the same young man that I had seen with Alice before as he dropped a sack of flour on the ground.

He straightened up, his blue eyes widening when he saw me.

Before I could say anything, he started fidgeting with his now empty hands and backed up against the far wall.

It was as though he was trying to put as much space as he could between us.

"I'm sorry!" I said immediately, raising my hands to tell him I didn't want to hurt him. "Alice sent me in here to help, I just…"

I trailed off, slightly shocked.

The man - James - seemed terrified of me. He was much bigger than me, yet the way he seemed to be cowering into himself right now made him seem tiny.

His blonde hair was falling in to his face but his eyes never left mine as though he wanted to keep track of where I was.

"I'm sorry." I repeated, tentatively. "Alice told me to help in here…"

He finally swallowed and nodded, slowly stepping away from the wall.

"Y-you can put the flour and spices on the shelves." He said so quietly that I had to strain to hear him.

Unlike before, he now steadily avoided my curious gaze.

"Is there any particular order I should put them in?" I asked him, walking towards him hesitantly.

His eyes widened when I came closer and he immediately struggled to replace the space between us, backing in to the door I had come from.

"N-no order." He stuttered. "I'll clean up outside."

He turned to leave, but before he could open the door I stepped forward and grabbed his wrist.

Both of our eyes widened at my sudden forwardness.

His wide, frightened eyes met mine and I immediately softened my expression so I didn't scare him any more than I had already.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked him.

I had never had someone so skittish around me.

As Eric had pointed out several times when we were young, I was about as frightening as a teacup.

James cleared his throat and licked his lips as though he were trying to process what was happening.

He finally met my eyes and shook his head quickly before pulling free of my grip and shutting the door behind him.

I sighed in frustration as I turned towards the sacks of flour.

I'd have to find out what I'd done later. I had a job to do now, it seemed.

~•~

I stepped back from the shelves and smiled.

Over the past hour I was certain I had filled every inch of the shelves with the sacks that had been lying on the floor.

Only a few sacks were left on the ground.

My eyes narrowed in on a small empty space on the top shelf.

I could probably fit one more sack in there.

I bent down and groaned softly as I lifted the heavy sack of flour. I bit my lip as I hefted it up over my shoulder.

I glanced up at the empty space at the edge of the shelf and lifted the sack up and in to the small corner.

I gave it a little shove to fit it in snugly. I took a step back and smiled at my handiwork.

My smile quickly faded as I noticed one of the other sacks slipping from the shelf.

My hands shot out, struggling for a firm grip on the sack.

I stared in horror as it slipped through my grip. I shut my eyes, waiting for the impending thud and burst of flour.

A few seconds passed and nothing happened.

I furrowed my brows and slowly opened my eyes to find the sack not on the floor, ripped open, but held up by a hand from behind me.

"Careful, Miss Swan."

My eyes widened and I spun around.

I sucked in a quick breath when I realized how dangerously close I was to the captain.

A small smirk pulled at his lips as he glanced down at the sack of flour that he was successfully holding with one hand while I had struggled to heave it with both.

I swallowed, my hands fidgeting nervously at my sides.

His smirk slowly faded as I watched him with wide eyes. He moved forward so that our chests were pressed against each other.

I shivered, the feel of his solid warmth overwhelming my senses as he pushed me back against the shelves.

I gaped at him and his forwardness.

Suddenly his arm lifted upwards and I felt heat rush in to my cheeks when I realized he was only placing the sack of flour back on the shelves.

Still blushing, I met his eyes.

I was intensely aware of everything all of a sudden; his eyes boring in to mine, the silence around us, and the days worth of stubble that was littering his jawline…

He slowly lowered his hand, his fingers trailing their way down the length of my arm before he returned it to his side.

I shivered.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him quickly, trying to distract myself from the feel of his touch.

The captain raised an eyebrow and when he spoke his voice was low and tainted with amusement.

"Alice asked me to help out in the galleys. And I had some time on my hands." His eyes never left mine - it was unnerving.

_Alice._

"Of course she did." I muttered.

How could she play matchmaker even when she had a headache that could put down a horse?

"What did you say?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said quickly.

An annoyed look snuck its way on to the captain's face. He frowned at me.

I smiled when I realized that the captain was just as curious as I was about things, no matter how much he would tell _me_ not to be.

The captain exhaled and shook his head.

"I'd really prefer you don't hide things from me, Miss Swan." He stared at me with narrowed eyes. "After all, I have saved your life more than once."

He bent down slightly, his forehead almost touching mine. "You owe me your honesty."

I swallowed. "So you're saying that if _I_ saved _your_ life, you would tell me about you?"

I expected him to immediately retreat from the conversation or shut down like he usually did.

What I _didn't_ expect was for him to laugh at what I had deduced.

His eyes lit up and his mouth formed a crooked grin as though it wasn't used to performing that particular gesture.

I was finding that he was smiling and laughing more and more often.

A small part of me..._liked_ it.

"Please, Miss Swan." He chuckled. "Let's both stick to what we're good at, yeah?"

I scowled at him. "What are you saying? That I can't save your life because I'm a girl?"

"No. That's not at all what I was insinuating. I was trying to say that you can't save my life because you're _you_." A mischievous smirk was now on his face.

It was as though he knew exactly what to do and say to get me riled up.

I growled at him in frustration and shoved him back, frustration only filling me further when he barely moved.

He smirked at me as I shoved past him. He leaned against the shelves casually as I turned back to him, my fists clenched.

"I can fight." I told him, glaring.

"Fighting with Jasper doesn't exactly count," He said cocking his head to the side and grinning as though he enjoyed seeing me frustrated. "He's going easy on you."

"He doesn't need to go easy on me! I'm not weak!" I shouted, hating that the captain could get on my nerves like this.

"I never actually said you were, love." He responded casually, that arrogant smirk still plastered firmly on his face.

I let out a cry of frustration and before I knew what I was doing, I found my hand moving towards his face.

Before it could connect with his cheek, his hand grabbed my wrist tightly and he pushed me back in to the wall.

I exhaled softly as my back hit the wall.

His smirk had disappeared and his eyes were once again calculating, but his eyebrows were raised.

"You were about to slap me." He said, as though he had trouble believing it.

I was shocked at my actions, but I couldn't exactly regret it. I was still seething at his condescending remarks about my strength.

"It seems you bring out the worst in me." I told him through gritted teeth.

A smirk threatened to pull at his lips again but he quickly tamped it down.

"It seems I do, Miss Swan," He said quietly. "I bring out the brave, stupid part of you that would apparently dare to try and slap a pirate."

"Not very surprising when the pirate in question deserves it." I glared at him, not knowing where in the world all this bravery was coming from.

Mother would faint if she knew how vulgar and sharp-tongued I had become.

"And I deserve it." He agreed. "So what's stopping you from slapping me again?"

Without hesitation, I raised my other hand that wasn't locked in a vice-like grip.

He quickly grabbed that hand too and pushed me further back against the wall.

He smirked. "It seems you lack the crucial element of surprise, Miss Swan."

I swallowed.

He leaned in closer to me, his eyes flickering down to my lips. I forced myself to steady my breathing as his warm breath washed over me.

All thoughts of our previous argument was forgotten and all he had to do was look at my lips…

Maybe he was right. When it came to him, it seemed I _was_ weak.

My hands were still held tightly against the wall when his nose gently brushed against my cheek.

I exhaled softly, feeling myself melt against his touch.

His grip was the only thing keeping me upright at the moment.

His lips were dangerously close to mine, brushing against the corner of them.

"This is your last chance to pull away, Miss Swan." He murmured quietly.

My eyes widened at his words and I realized that I could stop this right now if I wanted to.

A part of me was screaming to accept the offer, but another part of me wanted to feel more of his touch.

The captain was an incredibly handsome man and I supposed I should be surprised he wanted me at all.

He was infuriating to the last degree, he was arrogant, and his career was definitely not an honorable one.

He was also unbelievably dedicated to his ship and crew, he gave Alice a home when she was lost, and there was an inexplicable draw I felt towards him.

Did I want to give my first kiss to this man? A pirate?

I closed my eyes and thought back to why I had run away from home.

_To live my life._

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "I don't want to pull away." I whispered.

He stared at me intensely as though trying to see if I was bluffing.

Apparently what he saw satisfied him.

My breathing quickened as he leaned down slowly, his lower lip gently brushing against my top.

I sighed against him, reeling at the soft feel of his lips and the gentle warmth of his breath washing over me.

He finally leaned down and captured my lips fully, sucking my top lip in between both of his.

He ran his tongue along the length before gently pushing it in to my mouth.

I gasped at the foreign sensation, his taste filling my mouth as his tongue explored everywhere.

His grip on my hands loosened and he let go of them so that they fell limply at my sides.

He brought his hands up to cup my cheeks as he wrapped his tongue forcefully around mine, urging me to respond to him.

I felt goosebumps rise on my arms and a tingling sensation spark wherever he touched me.

I lifted my hands and slid them tentatively up his chest to rest them against his broad shoulders.

I could feel his muscles tense and release under my hands as he slid one hand down to clutch at my waist and pull me against him.

I held on to him tightly and responded eagerly as his tongue once again filled my mouth.

The sound of the door swinging open forced us away from each other.

"Shit!" The captain swore, quickly letting go of me and backing away.

James stared wide-eyed at us both, immediately flushing red and mumbling a quick 'sorry' before closing the door behind him and leaving a tense silence in his wake.

I fell back against the wall to steady myself and watched wide-eyed as the captain ran a hand roughly through his hair.

I could still feel the tingling running from my lips all the way down to my toes.

I stood, shocked as I realized what had happened.

I glanced up at him as he exhaled harshly before looking up at me.

"I should go help James." He said, his voice hoarse and low.

Before I could respond, he quickly exited the room, slamming the door behind him.

I jumped at the sound though it really didn't surprise me.

If my whole body wasn't still vibrating with the feel of the captain's touch, I would have thought that the whole thing had been imagined.

I swallowed and tightened my braid that had come loose while he had...kissed me.

I straightened up and opened the door, walking back out to the galley. I took a quick survey of the room, quick to avoid the glances of James and the captain.

Most of the tables that had been on their sides were righted and almost all of the chairs were stacked neatly on top of the tables.

I sighed and looked up. James was cleaning some of the mugs and placing them neatly on top of the counter.

The captain was lifting the remaining tables back to their original positions.

He was avoiding my gaze just as I was his.

I pushed down the lump that was growing in my throat and turned to James.

"Do you need any more help?" I asked him tentatively.

I was still aware of how painfully shy he was and didn't want to frighten him.

He met my gaze and I was pleasantly surprised to find that he didn't look as scared as he had done previously.

He opened his mouth to respond but before he could, the captain cut in.

"No. We don't need help." His response was sharp and commanding.

I frowned, confused at his sudden shift in mood and turned to face him fully.

His face held no trace of a smirk and his eyes were as cruel and untrusting as they had been when I had first seen him.

I felt the lump in the back of my throat grow larger and larger and I struggled to push it down as I nodded and looked down.

I walked past the captain and towards the door as quickly as I could, shutting it softly behind me.

I pushed through the hallways that were mercifully empty and strode towards my room, clutching my stomach that suddenly had a painful feeling welling in it.

I entered my room and finally felt hot tears pricking at the corner of my eyes.

I blinked them away and sat down on the edge of my bed.

If the captain had treated me like he had when we were in the room in the back, or even pretended that we had never touched I wouldn't have been so hurt.

But the way he had acted was almost...angry.

I didn't know what I had done!

I hastily wiped away my tears with the back of my hand.

I felt used.

The tingling that I had enjoyed so much when he was kissing me, only brought me disgust now.

I didn't ever want to think of him again. He was cruel and sadistic and he had used me.

How could I have let him use me?

I swallowed and forced myself to get up. I picked up the washcloth and dunked it in the bucket of water.

I ran the cool, wet cloth over my face so that it could take away any trace of tears.

I frowned when I ran it over my lips.

The tingling was still there.

I scrubbed the washcloth viciously against my lips to get the taste of _him_ off of them.

A sudden, familiar twinge of pain jerked in my stomach and I closed my eyes.

_No. Not today._

I exhaled and slowly pulled down my breeches and drawers.

Sure enough a tiny spot of bright red was blooming in the white cloth.

I bit my lip, dread filling me when I realized that I had no idea what to do about it.

At home I would stay in bed for the duration of my time, but it had been easy to have frequent sanitization at home.

What would I do here?

And if I didn't get out of bed for three or four days, the captain would probably say that I was lazy and throw me off the ship.

But I wasn't the only girl on this ship...Alice!

I grinned widely, knowing that she would help me. She must go through the same thing I was after being on a ship for so long.

I quickly pulled my breeches back on and walked over to Jasper and Alice's room.

I knocked softly.

I knew that Jasper would probably still be up on deck but I didn't want to wake Alice up if she was sleeping.

I heard a faint '_come in_' and slowly pushed the door open.

Alice was lying in bed, but was sitting up and rubbing her eyes as I closed the door behind me.

She looked up at me and smiled. "Bella! How'd it go?"

"Alright." I replied quietly, shooting her a small smile in return. "I did what you asked and the galleys are looking much better."

"Good. You didn't have any trouble, did you?"

I shook my head. "You look much better too."

She grinned. "I'm feeling better."

I grinned back before swallowing. "Listen, Alice, I wanted to ask you…"

I paused, not knowing exactly how to bring up something so personal.

"On the ship...what would you do if it was your...monthly time?"

"Oh!" Alice's eyes widened. "Do you have yours right now?"

I blushed and nodded.

Alice smiled. "It's okay, Bella. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"How do you handle it?" I asked her, feeling a little desperate. "You don't have to stay in bed, do you? I mean, you can't."

Alice laughed. "Relax, Bella."

She pushed aside the covers and walked over to the desk at the other side of the room.

I followed her, watching curiously as she opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small folded piece of paper.

She opened it carefully to reveal a small pile of light brown shreds of what looked like bark.

"What is that?" I asked her.

"It's an herb; Angelica Root." She told me. "You can soak it in hot water and drink it like a tea."

"And it helps with your...monthly time?" I asked her, surprised.

Alice grinned. "It stops it. Well, at least it makes sure that you don't bleed as much."

"Where did you get this?" I asked in awe.

"At this herb shop I found long ago. You're supposed drink it about a day in advance, so you're going to have to suffer through today."

"But, tomorrow...I won't bleed?" I was shocked. I had never known that the monthly time could simply be stopped.

"You won't bleed." Alice affirmed with a small smile.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll go to the galleys and get you some hot water." Alice suggested.

"No, it's okay, I can get it myself-" I protested, though I really did not want to see the captain again.

"Sit down, Bella. I'll get it." Alice commanded. "You helped me with my chores today. The least I could do is get you hot water."

I sighed and smiled. "Thank you."

She grinned and grabbed some of the Angelica Root before exiting.

I sat down on the bed and sighed.

I winced as a strong cramp hit my stomach. My monthly time had always been awful.

For some reason, it had always been more painful for me than it had been for other girls my age.

But the pain in my stomach was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

I decided in that moment that I hated the captain.

I hated him for making me feel this way and hurting me.

I hated Edward Cullen.

~•~

**EPOV:**

Jasper yawned. "It's too late for this." He grumbled. "Can we just pick up tomorrow?"

Emmett was already snoring quietly in his chair.

I sighed and rubbed my temple wearily.

I knew that there was no point in continuing this now if they were half asleep.

"Yes, fine."

Jasper got up and roughly shook Emmett's shoulder.

Emmett immediately sat up straight in his chair. "Yes, I agree with Jasper." He said groggily, forcing his eyes open.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Go to sleep, Emmett. We'll meet in the morning."

"Oh, thank the Lord." Emmett sighed.

He got up and followed Jasper. I watched as they exited my room, closing the door behind them.

I exhaled, dropping my chin to my chest as I was once again left in silence and my thoughts.

And my thoughts were currently plagued with a certain brown-eyed brunette.

I didn't want to think about her.

I didn't want to think about the fact that I had kissed her.

I didn't want to think about how it had been the single most amazing experience in my life.

I rested my elbows on my thighs, clutching at my hair.

I thought that what we had been doing was innocent. I liked seeing her when she was angry so I'd provoked her a little.

It was a side of her I hadn't seen a lot of and the fact that she was willing to stand up to me was slightly fascinating.

It was my fault that I had let it get so far.

I shouldn't have kissed her.

The minute we ended the kiss I knew that I had to fix it. I knew that I had to return our relationship to that of mutual hate but reluctant acceptance.

If I had met Isabella at port or somewhere equally as insignificant, I wouldn't have hesitated to take her to bed.

But if I crossed a line with her here I would be stuck with her on the ship.

I wasn't willing to let anyone or anything get in the way of what happened here on the ship.

Maybe I shouldn't have lashed out at her like I had did after we kissed.

But she needed to know that nothing could ever come out of that kiss.

I got up and slowly walked towards the door.

I hesitated for a second before opening the door and walking slowly down the dark and empty hallways that were filled only with the faint sounds of snoring.

I stopped in front of _her_ door.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before slowly pushing the door open.

My eyes immediately found her even in the darkness.

She was curled up in the bed, sheets tucked under her chin.

Her hair was loose from her braid, scattered all around her head on the pillow like a chocolate halo.

Her red lips were slightly parted, her dark eyelashes resting gently against her cheeks.

It had to be said: lying here, cast in the moonlight, she was utterly beautiful.

I walked slowly towards her, careful not to make too much noise.

I looked down at her, my eyes drinking in every single feature.

I knelt down so that my lips were at her ear.

"I'm sorry." I whispered simply.

I swallowed hard and slowly pulled back.

What was she doing to me?

**AN: I am a horrible person. I promise that I'm trying with everything I have to get these chapters done and out to you guys, but it's taking a lot longer than I anticipated. I don't just want to rush through something and send out a crap chapter, so I'm trying to find time and that's proving to be near impossible.**

**I just hope that I'm not losing any readers because of my crazy life. I promise that once the holidays are here, I will be completely dedicated to this story. Until then, I hope you guys can bear with me.**

**Thank you for all you lovely reviewers for wishing me well with my grandmother and being patient with me. Your reviews mean the world to me: Vanquish13, Breaking-Midnight, Dan-Dan, m0t0b33, KhristenHartgrove, majobloem, Love2readgirl, Valentine Rain, cullenchanel, Mz-Star, krmyers10, aAnnalise, xXxKirenxXx, Elana86, MissFictionJunkieUnknown, SarahCullenxxx, stephi910, Ella-Mango, shaz308, amberkey, Live To Ride, whisperwind1886, ghita, KEEBLERELF1025, Girl-on-moon, xrissyjax, Jojo657, robsmom, Jessica Lopez, gothgirl1245, Jenn, RiniBell, LiLi82, Trainspotter1440, lovelycullen, hipstererin, AllthereReallyIsToit, Beautiful Blood Red Roses, LadyTx, Nissa-Cullen, sujari6, ADADancer, Rachel, LaSpia**

**In other news, Original Sin has a banner made by the lovely Soapy Mayhem. It's amazing and so is she! **

**I promise that the next chapter will not take NEARLY as long as this one did. It killed me to have to post this so late.**

**Review, review, review and I'll make the next chapter worth your while! ;)**

**M-J**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

**BPOV:**

I patted my stomach, hardly daring to believe that it was the second day of my monthly time and I'd had no painful cramps.

Or blood.

_God bless Alice._

I owed that tiny ball of energy more than I could ever give, that was for sure.

I looked up at the mirror in front of me and winced at the dark circles that outlined my eyes.

Unfortunately, Alice's miracle tea had done nothing to help get my mind off of the captain and what had happened yesterday.

I was angry, hurt, and didn't understand what exactly it was I had felt when he had been...kissing me.

_I had kissed a man._

I had kissed a man that wasn't my husband, or even my betrothed.

A sick feeling welled up in my stomach just thinking about what had happened yesterday.

I had enjoyed the kiss so much and I had actually begun to think that the captain might be a decent human being.

I guess I had been stupid and naïve to think that.

The sting of tears pricked at the corner of my eyes and I immediately pushed them back.

I would not cry over him.

I would not let him have that power over me.

I swallowed and ran a hand along the braid of my hair. I forced a smile as I looked in the mirror.

I was determined not to let the captain determine how I felt.

I made sure my fake smile was still in place and strode out of my room.

Shutting the door behind me, I quickly made my way through the fairly empty hallways.

I rounded the corner, letting out a surprised cry as I ran in to something solid.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I apologized immediately, backing up.

My eyes widened when I saw those all too familiar green eyes boring in to mine.

His hair was as wild and carefully untamable as ever, and the first few buttons of his shirt were left undone.

I swallowed and forced my eyes away from the little bit of bronzed skin that they revealed.

I looked up at him and was immediately incensed at what I saw.

There was no mischievous smirk on the captain's face.

We were back to the condescending glares and narrowed eyes.

I huffed, remembering how he had treated me yesterday.

I glared at the ground, trying desperately to ignore the heat coming off of his body and the pull of his eyes.

I took a step to the right, determined to not let him get the upper hand, just as he stepped in the same direction.

I looked up at him and scowled.

I saw the corner of his mouth twitch as though he were trying not to smile.

_We were not going to play this game._

I shoved past him, trying to disregard the tingling I felt in my arm as it brushed his chest.

I strode as fast as I could out of his sight up the stairs on to deck.

The sun was bright and shining in all of its glory when I stepped on to the deck.

I bit my lip as I watched the crew working as diligently as ever.

With the amount of hard, manual labor that they had to do, you would suspect them to be bitter and resentful towards the captain.

But that was hardly the case.

Even when they worked, they had smiles on their faces and joked around with their friends.

And I had seen them be nothing but loyal towards their…_prat_ of a captain.

"Bella!" Alice's voice interrupted my musing.

I looked over to see her sitting on the deck with Quill and Seth. Alice grinned and waved me over.

I walked over to them, furrowing my brows when I noticed that Quill's clothes and hair were wet and clinging to his body. He had a severe scowl on his face.

The right arm of his shirt was ripped and Alice had a needle in her hand, stitching up what looked like a deep cut on his arm.

I sat down in front of them, about to ask why Quill was so wet, before Seth spoke, grinning at me.

He held out my wig. "Are you sure you want this back? You keep losing it. Maybe I should hold on to it for you." He teased.

I laughed, taking it from him. "I left it on deck yesterday, didn't I?"

Seth nodded and opened his mouth to speak before Quill interrupted.

"Can we focus back on me, please?" He asked, irritably. "I'm _hurt_."

Alice rolled her eyes. "It's a small cut, Quill. Let's not exaggerate, shall we?" She shot me an exasperated look.

"How did you get hurt anyway?" I asked, curiously.

Seth laughed. "He got cut on the side of the ship climbing back up."

Quill scowled at him while I gaped.

"_The side of the ship?_" I asked incredulously. "Did he fall?"

"No, he jumped." Seth replied nonchalantly.

"He _jump_-" I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"The crew take a dive sometimes in hot weather, Bella. It's perfectly normal." Alice explained patiently, tying off the string in Quill's cut.

_Well, that would explain his wet clothes_.

"They just...jump in?" I asked, my eyes wide. I got up and looked over the railing, exhaling hard when I saw how far down the water was. "Don't they get hurt?"

"We don't jump in the middle of a storm or anything, Bella." Seth rolled his eyes. "Plus, it's all about technique; something Quill severely lacks."

"Oi!" Quill lunged for Seth, narrowly missing him and falling to the deck when Seth jumped out of his way.

Seth laughed and stood up next to me. "See? No technique."

I bit my lip to hide my laugh as Quill straightened up, scowling.

He scrambled up and moved towards Seth once more, but Alice quickly stood up, hands on her hips.

"No fighting." She said sternly, glaring at Quill first, then Seth.

"Fine." Quill grumbled, sitting back down.

Seth shrugged at me as if to say '_fun's over_' before sitting down next to Quill and ruffling his hair.

"Honestly," Alice shook her head with a small smile on her face, pulling me down with her as she sat down. "You'd have no idea they were pirates by the way they acted."

I smiled. "I certainly forgot. I guess all pirates aren't as barbaric as the stories tell."

Alice's smile faded and she eyed me hesitantly. "Bella, I-I would feel bad not to tell you."

I furrowed my brows, confused at the apprehension I saw in her eyes.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We better get back to work." Seth said, interrupting our conversation. "Make sure you don't lose that wig again." He winked, nodding to the wig that lay in my lap.

"I won't." I smiled at them as they got up and made their way over to the rest of the crew.

"What is it, Alice?" I asked softly, turning back to her.

Alice bit her lip. "Well, I heard Jasper and Edward talking yesterday and...I just think you should know that they were talking about...grabbing a merchant ship."

I felt my heart thump loudly in my chest when I understood what she was saying.

Nonetheless, I felt the need to clarify.

"My grabbing...you mean pillaging, don't you?" I asked her quietly.

Alice nodded, her eyes worried. "I'm sorry, Bella. I know I should have told you sooner, but I just didn't know what you would think…"

I shook my head slowly. "It's not your fault, Alice."

I tried to swallow the large lump that had built and lodged itself firmly in my throat.

"H-how exactly does this grabbing go?" I asked, trying to get rid of the worry.

Alice observed me carefully, as though hesitant to tell me. "Well, they catch up to another ship, fire a couple of rounds to make their intentions known…"

"F-fire," I licked my lips, nodding. "Do they fire at...people?"

"No," Alice said immediately, "They only fire in the air at first."

My eyes shot up to meet hers. "'At first'?"

Alice sighed. "Bella…"

I shut my eyes tightly.

Alice placed a hand on my shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, they only fire at people when they resist."

"'Only when they resist'?" I repeated incredulously. "Why would someone _not_ resist?"

"Bella-"

I pushed off the ground and stood up, my breaths coming out in short, shallow bursts.

These people that I had been with for the past days...all this time I had thought that I had judged them too harshly when really they had just been waiting for the _right time_ to attack innocent people.

Alice stood up, eyeing me worriedly.

"Bella…"

"How do you do it?" I interrupted. "How can you stand by and watch them kill innocent people?"

Alice sighed and shook her head. "Bella, you have to understand-"

We were both distracted from our conversation when the tall form of the captain slowly walked up on to the deck.

His presence was tangible.

The minute he stepped on deck, everyone turned to look at him and when they turned back to their work, they seemed just a little more diligent.

I knew that the captain was a powerful man.

I knew how respected he was amongst his crew and how feared he was amongst people where I came from.

But right now, when I saw him I didn't see that man that was respected or feared; all I saw was a cold-blooded murderer.

The sight of him caused my breathing to quicken and my ire to increase.

His green eyes surveyed the deck carefully, stopping when they landed on me.

Like always, the way he looked at me felt as though he was reading right in to my soul.

I forced my eyes away from him and exhaled angrily.

Slowly, I heard his footsteps slowly vanish in to the noise of the waves and the talking and laughter of the crew.

I slowly looked up and was surprised to see that my fists were clenched.

Alice looked at me wide-eyed. Her gaze flickered to the captain quickly before fixing back on me.

"Is everything okay, Bella?" She asked, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"Everything's fine." I said quietly. "I'm going to go down to the galleys, is that alright?"

"Of course, but I thought…" Alice trailed off, clearly confused at my abrupt departure from our conversation.

"I don't want to talk about that right now, Alice. Let's talk about it later, okay?" I said, silently pleading with her to drop it.

Alice nodded. "Okay." She said tentatively.

I reached down and grabbed my wig. I could feel more than one pair of eyes follow me as I strode quickly back under deck.

I made my way as fast as I could through the hallways and to the galleys.

I knew that the galleys would be empty at this time of day and I didn't want to talk to anyone.

Just as I had predicted, the galleys were mercifully empty and quiet.

I placed my wig down on the counter, and immediately began pacing to and fro.

Everything I was feeling was overwhelming my senses and I needed some way to get it away from me.

I couldn't believe that after all this time of trusting these pirates, they were still going to hurt people.

Maybe it was because I _did_ trust them that I felt so bad.

I knew that they weren't barbaric and that they weren't cruel.

_Well, at least not all of them._

The thought of them killing people…

Jasper, Emmett, Seth….could I really just stand and watch them hurt someone?

I let out a small groan when I heard the door open behind me.

"I'm really not in the mood to talk right now, Alice." I said, shutting my eyes tightly.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not Alice, then."

My eyes shot open and I turned around, meeting the green eyes that had pierced me just a few minutes ago on deck.

I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing here, but he stepped forward before I could.

"Did Alice tell you about what we were planning?" He demanded.

I glared at him and nodded.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Christ, Alice…"

"It's sick." I spat out, unable to contain myself.

His eyes shot up to meet mine. I expected him to look angry, but he actually looked quite amused.

"What's sick?"

"All this _pillaging_ and _plundering_ - it's sick! Why do you do it, hm?" I asked him, my eyes narrowed.

"Killing someone, stealing their wealth, does it make you feel powerful? Is that why you do it? To have control of something for two seconds?"

_Now_ he looked angry.

His eyes flashed dangerously, his fists balling themselves in to fists.

All my instincts told me to flee but I stood my ground, knowing that someone had to show him the injustice of what he was doing.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand, _Miss Swan_." He sneered. "You know, I'd have a lot more respect for what you said if you weren't the daughter of a _Baron._"

"What?" I asked him, shocked and indignant. "What does my Father have to do with any of this?"

"Your _Father_ and people like him steal and kill _every day_." The captain spat. "How do you think he gets all that money? You think he earned it fairly?"

"I don't-"

"Him and his little friends are exploiting people out of their money and their lives." He continued, looking truly frightening in his anger. "All so that they can gamble all this _blood money_ away."

I gaped at him. "How do _you_ know that my Father gambled?"

"Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan." He growled, his voice low. "You'll be surprised at what I know about you and your family. You think I'd let you stay on this ship just like that? After you hid your true identity from us?"

He gestured towards the wig lying limply on the counter.

"Tell me, Miss Swan," He whispered, glaring at me. "Have you ever been outside that precious house of yours? Have you ever been on the streets?"

He didn't pause to hear my indignant response.

"If you had, you would've seen exactly where your money is coming from. You'd see little children working in taverns and bars, you'd see pregnant women selling food in the boiling sun so their unborn child wouldn't have to starve."

The captain shook his head disgustedly.

"Let me let you in on a little secret, Miss Swan," He leaned in, his breath washing over my face. "Out on the streets, those people don't fear us pirates. They fear _you_."

He pulled back and took a couple steps back.

I stared at him, stunned and speechless.

"Yes we kill, yes we plunder." He continued. "But at least we don't hide behind a facade, claiming to be respected people."

He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.

"You knew you were stepping on to a pirate ship, Miss Swan. You had a choice." He informed me, his shoulders finally relaxing.

He sighed and turned around, making his way towards the door.

Before I knew what I was doing, I hurried over to him.

"Wait!" I exclaimed, grabbing on to his forearm.

He looked down at me, raising an eyebrow at my grasp on his arm.

I swallowed and slowly let go of his admittedly muscular arm.

"Could you-," I hesitated. "Please don't kill anyone."

I met his eyes firmly, because right now it wasn't about my silly little attraction to him.

It was the matter of the life or death of an innocent person.

I had to persuade him...somehow...not to kill anyone.

His eyes narrowed at my request, curiosity easily visible in his face.

Slowly he shook his head.

"I can't make any promises, Miss Swan." He said.

I exhaled as he pulled open the door and strode out of the room.

As I slowly made my way over to one of the chairs, I was struck by the truth in what he had said to me.

I sat down slowly.

How was what he was doing any different from what my Father had done?

The only difference I could think of was that one was widely acknowledged while the other was carefully hidden.

He was right.

They were hiding their cruelties under the amount of money they had amassed.

I was surprised at how candid he had been in his anger.

I had never seen the captain show his feelings so freely and it made me realize that there was…perhaps...more to him than I had seen.

I wasn't sure how long I had been sitting in silence when I heard some shuffling next to me and looked up.

"James?" I was shocked to see the shy young man standing next to me.

He cleared his throat before slowly holding out a glass of water.

I reached out and took it, smiling widely at him.

"Thank you." I told him.

The tips of his ears turned bright red as he nodded.

He glanced over at the chair next to me. "May I?"

"Of course." I said, surprised.

He sat down slowly and swallowed. "The captain can be a little harsh." He said softly.

"Do you think the captain is a good man?" I asked, suddenly.

I don't know what made me say it, but I think a small part of me wanted to believe that he was.

If only to assure myself that he would head my plea and not kill anyone, I had to know.

James's eyes widened at my abrupt question. He slowly nodded. "He is a good man."

"How do you know?" I asked, desperation tinging my voice slightly.

His brows furrowed. "I knew when I met him that he was a good person."

"_How?_"

"He gave me a job." James said simply, as though that were enough to ascertain that the captain was a good person.

I studied him closely.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you meet the captain?" I asked him. "I remember Jasper saying that you were new like me."

James blushed and looked down at the table. "I begged him for a job."

My eyes widened. "You begged him?"

He nodded, staring intently at the edge of the table.

I hesitated before leaning forward in my seat, trying to meet his eyes. "Why?"

He exhaled softly, finally meeting my eyes. "I was hungry."

I fell back in my seat, my lips slightly parted. "You think he's a good man because he gave you a job when you were hungry."

"He _is_ a good man." He affirmed, more confident than I had ever seen him before. "He's dangerous, but he's a good man."

I closed my eyes briefly and sighed.

"He's killed a lot of people hasn't he?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. Many times." James responded, observing me carefully. "But that's the life of a pirate, Miss."

I stared at him incredulously. "How can all of you talk so carelessly about the lives of innocent people?"

"This is all we know," He replied softly. "This has only been my life for little over a year, but for the captain…killing is just another part of his job."

"That's sick." I said, repeating what I had said to the captain.

I felt tears prick my eyes.

I had hoped to convince myself that the captain would listen to me, but this conversation had nothing to assuage my concerns.

Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed throughout the ship causing me to jump and cry out.

"What was that?" I asked James fearfully.

He didn't look fazed at all. "They're firing, Miss." He said quietly. "It's begun."

_Firing?_

_'They catch up to another ship, fire a couple of rounds to make their intentions known…'_

"Now?" I gasped out. "No! They can't!"

I leaped out of my seat and rushed out of the galleys. The first thing I saw as I exited the room was Alice, a fearful expression on her face.

Her expression confirmed what I had feared.

"I was just coming to get you." She said, grabbing my hand.

She tried to pull me in the direction of her room, but I held firm.

"Alice, we have to stop this," I told her hurriedly, desperation manifesting in my eyes. "Please, we can't just let them kill people."

Alice sighed. "Bella, there's nothing we can do."

I shook my head defiantly. "We have to stop this."

I wrenched my hand out of her grasp and pushed through the corridors, knowing that I would stop the captain myself if I had to.

I could hear Alice cry my name out behind me, but I refused to listen to her.

I rushed over to the stairs that led to the deck.

Clinging on to the railing, I finally slowed to a stop.

There was a large plank attaching _Twilight_ to the merchant ship. I gasped when I saw Emmett, Jasper, and Edward haul a couple of men across the plank and on to _Twilight._

Of the captain, I would have expected nothing less than his narrowed eyes and intimidating stance, but Jasper and Emmett…

Before, I had seen nothing but their kind and friendly nature.

To see them with expressions that matched the captain's and cold glares fixed on their faces was a cruel jolt to reality.

They looked almost _bored_ as if they found the course of events little less than mildly amusing.

They threw the men they had captured down on to the deck.

"Bella!" Alice panted as she finally caught up with me. She clung on to the back of my shirt.

"They're going to hurt them…" I whispered, staring at the men that lay on the deck. "Aren't they?"

Alice didn't answer my question. "Bella, we have to go." She said softly.

"Alice's right, Bella." Seth's voice came from beside me. "You can't do anything, you have to leave."

I didn't even bother to look back at them.

I simply shook my head, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene that was unfolding in front of my eyes.

The captain stood in front of them, drawing out his sword and letting it hang limply in his hand.

"You lot will stay right where you are," He began menacingly. "And let my crew do their job, is that understood?"

A fearful silence greeted his question.

Even as the captain spoke I could see some of the crew lugging trunks of what was sure to be gold across the plank that connected the ships.

"Any more interference and blood _will_ be shed." The captain promised, his grip on his sword tightening.

One of the men - a brown-haired man - lifted his head to meet the captain's eyes.

"You will pay for this, Captain Cullen." He spat, his eyes defiant.

I felt my heart stop when I recognized that voice. I looked closer at the man and let out a strangled cry.

"Uncle Alec!" I rushed on to the deck, not being able to hold myself back.

_What was Uncle Alec doing here? He could be hurt!_

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I scrambled up the stairs, desperate to protect my loving Uncle.

Uncle Alec's eyes widened as they took me in.

"Bella, no!" I could hear Alice cry behind me.

Before I could reach them, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind, holding me back.

"No! Let me go, Seth!" I shouted, writhing in his grasp.

"Bella, you have to stop - Bella, stop struggling!" Seth grunted, covering my mouth with his hand.

Uncle Alec's jaw dropped, his defiance falling as he recognized me. "Isabella?" He whispered.

Jasper, Emmett, and the captain looked shocked, their bored expressions long-lost.

The captain's eyes narrowed at me before he turned to Uncle Alec. He lifted his sword and placed the tip dangerously near my Uncle's throat.

"_No!_" I shouted, more desperate than ever. My voice came out muffled underneath Seth's hand, but the captain's eyes still flickered to me briefly before he turned back to my Uncle.

"How do you know her?" The captain demanded, not being able to completely mask the curiosity in his voice.

Uncle Alec met the captain's glare with one of his own. "She's my niece. How dare you hold her hostage, you sick bastard!"

I felt dread well up in me when the captain chuckled darkly.

I didn't want my Uncle to know that I was on this ship by choice.

One of the reasons I loved my Uncle so much was because he trusted me and my decisions. I didn't want him to think that I wasn't capable of making responsible ones.

The captain smirked. "Apparently, there's been a little miscommunication. Your niece isn't a hostage on this ship, as a matter of fact," The captain continued, ignoring my shouts of protest. "She _asked_ to be on this ship."

I shook my head and my mouth snapped shut, tears finally making their way down my face.

I could feel Seth's grasp on me falter when he felt my tears slide down his hands, but the captain shot him a glare and he resumed his firm hold.

Uncle Alec stared at the captain, disbelief etched on his face.

He shook his head. "No. You're lying." He looked over to me. "Tell me they're lying."

I sank in Seth's grasp, tears flowing faster than ever. I slowly pulled Seth's hand away from my mouth. "I'm sorry, Uncle Alec." I choked out.

Uncle Alec's face crumbled, his eyes seeming to have aged ten years in a matter of minutes.

"Isabella…" He whispered, looking away from me.

My chest ached as though someone had punched me.

I could see the disappointment, hurt, and guilt in my Uncle's face and it shattered me to know that _I_ had done that.

I had hurt the one person in my family that had actually cared for me.

One of the crew members, a burly, dark-haired man hesitantly approached the captain who was staring intently at me.

"We've loaded all the gold, cap'n." He informed him.

The captain's eyes slowly shifted to him and he nodded.

"Get these men back on their ship and let's be off." He ordered.

The man furrowed his brows, looking confused. "Back on their ship? But-"

"Get them back on their ship." The captain repeated firmly, narrowing his eyes.

He glanced one last time at Uncle Alec before turning on his heel and retreating under deck.

I couldn't look even look at him as he passed me.

For once, his presence didn't draw my eyes to him like magnets.

Some of the crew stepped forward and grabbed the men on the deck, hauling them up by their collars.

I winced at the rough way they were handled.

The crew led them over to the plank that would lead them back to safety.

Uncle Alec looked back at me, his brown eyes filled with regret.

"I should have never let you leave that night." His voice was no louder than a whisper, yet it carried across the deck. "I'm so sorry, my child."

I tried to open my mouth to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but he was turned and shoved across the plank before I could.

I watched, stunned and grief-stricken as my Uncle along with his shipmates were thrown back on to their ship.

The crew made their way back on to the _Twilight_ and pulled back the plank.

In a matter of moments, the ship started moving again, leaving the pillaged merchant ship behind us.

It would appear to an outsider that nothing had occurred, if not for the small chests of gold stacked on the side of the deck that remained the sole evidence.

"Bella?" Seth spoke tentatively, his grip loosening on me.

His arms loosened enough to allow me to fall gently to my knees.

He kneeled down next to me, eyeing me worriedly. I heard hurried footsteps behind us as Alice rushed over to me.

She mimicked my position, immediately drawing me in to her tiny arms.

I allowed her to hold me, not knowing what to say or do.

"Oh, Bella," Alice's voice was full of pity. "That was your Uncle?"

I nodded against her shoulder, shutting my eyes tightly.

"He wasn't like your parents, was he?" Alice asked, though her tone insinuated she already knew the answer.

"No." I choked out.

"Seth, why don't you help the crew with the chests? I'll take care of Bella." Alice suggested, tightening her grip on me.

I saw Seth nod and get up out of the corner of my eye.

As though fate could sense the storm of feelings that was brewing inside of me, a small drop of rain splashed on my arm.

I pulled away from Alice and looked up at the gray skies that were beginning to cover up the sun.

Alice sighed as she too looked up at the sky. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

I nodded and stood up as she pulled me inside with her.

Many of the crew members stared at us as we passed them in the hallways, having just witnessed my outburst.

They must have thought me insane.

Though the thought would normally have provoked my infamous blush, it could hardly have effect on me right now.

I couldn't forget the hurt on my Uncle's face.

_He had trusted me._

Alice led me to her shared room with Jasper and opened the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

She sat me down on the bed and sat down next to me.

Her eyes were still filled with concern.

"Bella, it's okay. Your Uncle's safe. Nothing happened." She said slowly.

"I hurt him, Alice." I whispered. "He trusted me and I threw that trust away."

"What do you mean?"

I exhaled. "When I was running away from home, my Uncle saw me."

Alice's eyes widened. "And he still let you?"

I nodded. "He knew that I didn't want to get married to Lord Black and he trusted me to make the right decisions. He knew that I would be safe."

I laughed humorlessly. "Then he finds me on a pirate ship."

Alice frowned. "Bella, it was either get on a pirate ship or be caught by the Guards and sent home. How are you in the wrong here?"

"I should have been more careful. I shouldn't have been so reckless when I ran away from home. I shouldn't have put the Webbers in danger…" I was ranting now, all of my sins coming back to haunt me.

"Bella, Bella - stop." Alice said firmly, placing her hands on my shoulders. "I don't understand why you're trying to place all this blame on yourself."

"I hurt my Uncle." I whispered. "He's the only one in my family who's cared about me. How could I hurt him like this?"

Alice sighed frustratedly. "Stop blaming yourself, Bella. If your Uncle cares about you as much as you say he does, then he won't hold this against you."

I stayed silent, staring at my hands in my lap, knowing that there was truth in Alice's words.

"Today could have been so much worse, Bella." Alice said gently. "Your Uncle's safe and alive, at least Edward didn't kill him."

My eyes shot up to hers. "Why would the captain kill him? Uncle Alec didn't even do anything!"

"Edward never leaves survivors when they resist." Alice frowned. "I'm actually quite surprised that he let your Uncle go."

I stared at her, my lips slightly parted.

_'Please don't kill anyone.' _

_ 'I can't make any promises, Miss Swan.'_

Well, it would seem he had.

~•~

Night had immersed the ship and I was finally allowed to be left alone in my room to my thoughts.

I truly did appreciate Alice's concern for me, but I didn't want to think about what had happened this morning.

I didn't want to think about my Uncle.

Because every time I did, I was filled with guilt and worry.

I didn't even know if he was safe back on his ship.

Thoughts swarmed in my head and I sat upright as sleep evaded me.

I sighed, resolving myself to the fact that I wouldn't be able to rest tonight.

Not with so much on my mind.

I got up slowly and pushed open the door, stepping out in to the quiet hallway.

I tip-toed through the corridors, careful not to wake up anyone.

The sound of rain spattering on the side of the ship could still be heard, strangely soothing.

I hesitated as I walked up the stairs that led to the deck.

The rain pelted the deck in heavy droplets and I was starting to get second thoughts.

I took a deep breath and slowly stepped out on the deck, the rain immediately matting my unbraided hair to my face.

I found that I didn't mind the cold feeling nearly as much as I thought I would.

The rain that fell hard on the ship created a curtain, allowing me to see no more than a foot ahead of me.

I swallowed and carefully moved to the side of the ship, sitting down on the deck when I reached the railing.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, curling myself in to a ball.

As the knot in my throat grew, I found salty tears fall down my face, merging with the rain.

For once, I didn't have to hold back the tears and I found myself crying for everything that had happened in the past few days.

I could feel the hurt when the captain had dismissed me so harshly yesterday. I could feel the guilt I had for putting the Webbers in danger.

I could even feel the confusion over the unexplainable draw I felt for the captain.

He hadn't killed anyone.

_On _my_ request._

Could he possibly be a _good man_ as James had said he was?

I exhaled harshly and stood up.

_Stop thinking, Bella!_

I found that the more I thought the more questions I had.

I rested my elbows against the railing, leaning over and looking at the water beneath.

Unlike the last time it had rained, which had been during the storm, the waters were fairly calm now.

It wasn't still like it was in the morning, but the waves were fairly tame.

Before I knew exactly what I was doing, I found myself pushing myself up so that I was sitting on the railing, my feet dangling over the side of the ship.

My heart pounded and I tightened my grip on the railing.

I let out an exhilarated laugh.

I had no intention of jumping in the water like Quill had so foolishly done this morning, but I understood the thrill he found from it.

I swung my feet lightly, smiling.

I leaned my head back slightly, feeling the rain lightly pat my cheeks.

Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder echoed around me. I shrieked, my hands letting go of the railing in my surprise.

To my horror, I found myself falling forward, away from the safety of the railing.

I screamed loudly as I grappled through the air for something to hold on to.

I found myself tumbling firmly toward the dark, dangerous blanket of water beneath me.

I closed my eyes tightly, feeling as though I had run right in to a brick wall when I finally hit the water.

I struggled to keep my eyes open but found the pain and the lack of oxygen take over my senses.

My eyes finally shut, giving way to blackness.

~•~

**EPOV:**

I ran my thumb along my bottom lip, studying the edge of the desk intently as though it held all the answers I desired.

I had stayed in this position for the past two hours, sitting at my desk, my feet propped up next to my papers.

I had long since given up lying in bed waiting impatiently for my brain to relax.

_I should have killed that man._

I would have too.

No one ever spoken back to me like he had and lived to tell the tale.

I would have killed him if I hadn't seen how much he obviously cared about the young woman that had refused to leave my thoughts.

I closed my eyes tightly and exhaled.

I didn't see how that should have stopped me from killing the man.

Something I had seen in their interaction had forced me to pull my sword away from the man's neck.

I massaged my temples wearily.

Every time I was near her I had to control myself. Ever since kissing her yesterday, I found that all I could think of when I was with her was, well...kissing her again.

I shook my head and swung my feet off the desk. I ran a hand through my hair as I opened my door and stepped out in to the hallway, closing it softly behind me.

I needed fresh air so that I could think.

I approached the doorway that led to the deck and swore when I realized it was raining.

"Damn it." I muttered, resting against the wall and watching the rain pelt the deck.

I exhaled softly, digging my hands in to the pockets of my breeches.

My eyes narrowed when I saw some movement next to the railing.

_Why was someone out in the rain?_

I moved closer, my eyes squinting through the rain to see who exactly was mad enough to be standing out in the rain.

_Ah,_ I thought as I recognized the feminine form of Miss Swan, _I shouldn't have asked_.

What the hell was she doing _sitting_ on the railing?

Did she have a death wish?

I removed my hands from my pockets and stepped out on to the deck, prepared to drag her back in before she got killed.

A loud clap of thunder sounded overhead and I heard her shriek loudly, before letting go of the railing.

My eyes widened as she fell forward, off the ship and in to the ocean.

I felt myself moving before I even knew it.

I sprinted towards the railing, reaching it just in time to watch her hit the water.

"Shit!" I swore.

Rain had already soaked through my shirt, but I ignored it as I grabbed the rope that was lying a few feet away from me.

I tied it firmly to the railing and threw it over the edge before reaching over the railing and jumping in to the water.

I hit the water, immediately spotting the immobile form of Miss Swan.

I felt a sharp pang inside my chest when I saw her.

She looked so frail and weak, her eyes closed.

_Damn it, how could she be so reckless?_

I reached out and grabbed her around the waist, tugging her up tot he surface.

Her head fell against my shoulder as I grabbed a hold of the rope that I had thrown.

I yanked myself up, holding firmly on to Miss Swan.

At the moment, I found myself incredibly thankful for having been exposed to the tough life of a pirate early on.

I grunted when I finally reached the top, swinging both of us over the railing and on to the deck.

I heard Miss Swan gasp for air, choking and coughing as she finally regained consciousness.

I looked down at her as she finally opened her eyes staring at me in shock.

"_Have you lost your mind?_" I demanded.

**AN: So how's that for keeping to my updating schedule? I decided that after being so horrible with my updating before, that I should try to get this out on time. **

**I'll be honest, I popped this out in two days…two wonderful, work-free days…**

**I hope you guys aren't **_**too**_** angry with me for all the angst, happy times are coming, I promise!**

**Thank you to all you amazing reviewers that have stuck with me despite my lack of update: krmyers10, Mz-Star, KhristenHartgrove, m0t0b33, Girl-on-moon, xXxKirenxXx, gothgirl1245, Holidai, Jojo657, ADADancer, ecullen10, loomeylumes, imtruby, cullenchanel, dipsydoodle, stephi910, LaSpia, Love2readgirl, Valentine Rain, xrissyjax, amberkey, deranged-dreamer, AmoreDoves, LuckiLuci, SarahCullenxxx, Speed Girl 87, bc, ShadesofPaIe, Dan-Dan, whisperwind1886, shaz308, Live To Ride, sujari6**

**I really do owe everything to you. I would have absolutely no motivation to write if it were not for all of you wonderful people. Thank you so much.**

**So review, review, review and I'll make sure that my updating schedule is not disregarded like it has been for the past few weeks!**

**M-J**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

**BPOV:**

_"Have you lost your mind?"_

Rain poured down all around us, the cold liquid stinging my skin where it landed.

The captain's green eyes blazed down as me as I struggled to clear my airway.

His hair that usually stuck up in all different directions was now lying flat, matted to his forehead and falling in his eyes.

His white shirt was transparent from the water and clinging tightly to his torso.

I stared up at him in shock, realizing vaguely in the back of my head that I had almost drowned...but he'd saved me.

"I…"

Breathing heavily, he glared down at me as I struggled to form a coherent sentence.

His close proximity was certainly not helping.

I flinched as a droplet of water fell from his hair and on to my cheek.

His expression softened slightly and he moved away from me, lifting himself to his feet.

He glanced down at me and held out his hand for me to take.

I stared at him in shock.

_Why was he being so cordial?_

The moment's pause was enough to make his expression harden once more.

"I don't have all night, you know." He snapped.

I recoiled slightly at his tone and took his hand, allowing him to yank me to my feet.

I stumbled slightly as I got up, my legs a little less than coordinated as a result of my recent fall.

The captain's hand immediately shot out to grab my arm, steadying me.

I looked up at him, still not willing to believe that he had actually rescued me.

He _hated _me.

I supposed he would have been happy to see me go.

I was surprised I _hadn't_ died...my whole body was sore. It was as if I had been thrown repeatedly against a wall.

The fall must have been pretty bad for me to feel as much pain as I was feeling.

The captain must have noticed my grimace as he studied my face carefully.

"Get inside." His voice was not unkind as he finally relinquished my arm. "You'll catch your death if you stand out here all night."

He gave me a small nudge in the direction of the stairs that led to the rooms.

I slowly turned away from and like a child, followed his instructions.

I could feel his solid presence behind me as I slowly descended the stairs and made for my room.

Before I could turn around, the captain grabbed my arm, turning me in the opposite direction.

I turned to him, giving him a confused look.

"This way." He told me, jerking his head slightly to the left.

"But...My room's on the other side of the ship." I said, confused.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you actually telling me where things are on _my_ ship?"

Now I was really confused.

It must have shown on my face because the captain sighed. "We're going to my room. Not yours."

"Why?"

The captain groaned exasperatedly and mumbled something softly to himself before turning back towards me.

"Miss Swan, it's past midnight and I have to get up in roughly five hours. Could you please just do what I tell you?"

I had the sudden, strange urge to laugh but I quickly swallowed it down, knowing that it would be unadvisable to further annoy the already irate captain.

I nodded, pressing my lips together.

He turned around and walked quickly ahead of me.

I hurried to keep up, my eyes widening when I realized _just how_ transparent his shirt had become.

Though the front of his shirt had dried somewhat, his entire back was still exposed through the flimsy material.

Before I could stop, I found myself admiring the tanned skin.

I blushed and immediately looked away.

Suddenly another, more humiliating thought struck me.

_If his shirt was transparent with the water….was mine…?_

My jaw dropped and my eyes shot down to my shirt.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I found that Jasper's old shirt that Alice had lent me was thicker than the captain's and not see-through at all.

It was merely clinging to my torso, where I was mortified to find my nipples standing erect through the shirt.

I folded my arms firmly across my chest and let out a small groan.

The captain turned towards me and gave me a peculiar look when he found me hugging my arms as tightly against my chest as I could.

He rolled his eyes, dismissing my odd noises and opened the door to his room, walking in.

I slowly followed him, my eyes widening at the state of the room.

Everything was strewn across the floor and the desk.

Papers, pens, shirts...was that a porridge bowl?

The captain immediately went to a small closet in the back of the room, pulling out two thin towels.

He glanced over at me standing awkwardly beside the door and rolled his eyes.

He made his way over to me but stopped abruptly.

His eyes shot down towards my arms and flashed with something I couldn't quite identify.

I followed his gaze to see large red welts forming on my arms from the impact of the water on my skin.

"Do you mind telling me why you did something so stupid?" He snarled at me, throwing the towels on to his desk.

"I didn't fall on purpose!" I defended indignantly.

The captain snorted disbelievingly. "You decided to sit on the railing! _And_ you can't swim! What did you think would come out of it?"

I blushed. "Not many women can swim, you know."

"A problem I think, when you're on a ship." He sneered.

"I thought that was the point of a _ship_ - so you _don't_ have to swim." I shot back.

Ignoring my quip, the captain continued. "Do you have any idea what would have happened to you had I not been there?"

My eyes shot towards his. "Of course I do! I'm not stupid!"

"Then perhaps you would like to tell me why you keep acting like it!" He snapped.

I gaped at him.

_God, this man was infuriating!_

"You're the only one who seems to think that I'm such a burden." I said, glaring at him.

It was true. Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and Seth had accepted me just fine.

"I'm the only one that isn't blinded by the novelty of a shiny new toy." The captain corrected with a glare to rival my own.

"You didn't seem to be so un-blinded when you were _kissing_ me!"

My eyes widened and my hands flew to cover my mouth.

The captain looked surprised at my outburst, his shock rendering him temporarily speechless.

_Why had I said that?_

I could feel heat rushing to my face as it was prone to - not particularly unsurprising when I had brought up something so intimate.

Silence filled the room as both the captain and I reveled in the implications of what I had said.

Ever since the kiss there had been an unspoken pact between us - well it had been started by the captain and I had followed - that we would not bring it up.

That pact was now broken.

I slowly lowered my hands and looked down at our feet.

_Don't look up. Don't look up._

A part of me wanted to sneak a peak at the captain just to see how he was reacting to my words - to see if it was anything close to how I was reacting.

I forced myself to listen to the silent chant inside my head.

Slowly I saw his feet move closer to me and I slowly looked up.

What I saw made my stomach clench and my heart beat faster.

His eyes were burning, his jaw set.

I stared wide-eyed as he moved closer and closer to me till his chest was mere centimeters from my own.

He lifted his hand to the red spots on my arm that were steadily turning purple.

His eyes followed his fingers as he traced the bruises gently.

I held my breath as he slowly looked up from my arm.

His hand made its way from my arm and around my waist to the small of my back.

The captain pushed his hand in to my back slightly so that I stumbled forward in to him.

His other hand came up and gently brushed the hair off of my cheek.

I shivered at his cool touch, his hand still slightly wet from all the water.

He tilted his face downwards, his cool breath blowing across my forehead.

I closed my eyes briefly, my lips parting of their own accord.

When I opened my eyes again, I looked up at the captain who was staring down at me with a most curious look.

I couldn't say with any amount of accuracy a single emotion to describe what I saw in those startling green eyes.

Without haste, the captain lowered his head gently till his forehead was touching mine.

His lips were so close to my own…

I felt memories of the last time we had been in this position flood me.

The same feeling that I had felt when I was sitting on the railing rushed through me...though in a significantly different context.

It was the anticipation, excitement, and curiosity that both these scenarios had in common.

His hand was still caressing my cheek, his thumb brushing my lower lip and teasing it open.

Then it happened.

He lowered his lips to mine, pressing lightly once...twice...before enveloping them completely.

I felt myself melt in to him immediately, quite frankly not caring at the moment what he may have said or done in the past.

There was a voice in the back of my head screaming at me to realize whom exactly it was I was kissing, but it was so faint that it may as well have not been there.

Especially when juxtaposed with the solid feel of the captain's chest beneath my fingertips.

His touch was so...gentle.

It was almost as if he was afraid of hurting me.

Slowly I felt his tongue prod at my lips. I froze.

I wasn't sure whether I should allow this to happen. I couldn't forget the hurt I had felt the last time I had allowed him to do this.

The captain must have sensed my hesitation because he pulled back, his eyes studying my face.

He sighed and allowed his forehead to rest against mine once more.

His eyes were hooded, but they never closed.

It could have been for an eternity that we were standing there. All I could comprehend was the feel of his breath against my lips, cool and warm all at the same time.

From my close proximity I could see every single shade of green in his eyes, all closing in on the dark black in the middle.

The captains hand that was still on the small of my back played with the ends of my damp hair that hung lose around my shoulders.

The rough callouses on his other hand tickled my cheek.

Finally he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, but not having lost its raspy velvet quality. "If I said I was sorry, would you believe me?"

I furrowed my brows, confused. "What?"

A small smile twitched at the corner of the captains lips and he shook his head, finally pulling away from me.

"You should go to your room." He said, his voice louder now. "It's late. You need rest."

He let go of my waist and grabbed one of the towels he had thrown on the desk.

"But…" I stared at him in confusion as he handed me the towel.

His eyes met mine, filled with so many emotions that it was near impossible to single any one out.

He turned away from me harshly, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he fixed his gaze on the wall.

"Go." He ordered in a low rasp.

My eyes widened at the urgency in his tone. I clutched the towel in my hands and quickly made my way out of his room, shutting the door quietly behind me.

In a daze, I walked as quietly as I could back to my room.

There was a knot in my chest and it was slowly growing. My breathing came slightly labored as I finally reached my door.

I quickly made my way in to my room, shutting the door behind me. I leaned my back against the door, closing my eyes as I slid slowly to the ground.

I wasn't hurt as I had been the last time the captain had kissed me.

In fact, the emotion that I was feeling didn't come anything _close_ to hurt.

Because I knew that no matter what the captain did...he couldn't take back the words he had said tonight.

_"If I said I was sorry, would you believe me?"_

He was _sorry_.

For what, I wasn't completely sure. But I was strangely satisfied knowing that the captain had said he was sorry.

If I had judged him right - and I was assuming I did - he did not seem like the type to apologize easily.

Yet he had.

To me.

A small smile crept on to my face and I resisted the urge to giggle like a silly little girl, infatuated with some Lord.

But that was what I was.

_Infatuated_.

I fancied the captain.

I groaned and buried my face in to the towel in my hands. I had no doubt lost my mind.

It was one thing to run away from home and seek refuge on a pirate ship, but to _fancy_ the captain of the ship?

Mother would be appalled.

_So would Uncle Alec_. I bit my lip, feeling guilt take over my brief euphoria.

Where was he right now?

Would he come after me? Would he maybe even tell Father where I was?

I prayed not.

Lifting the towel to my face, I gently rubbed off any droplets of water that were still clinging to my cheeks.

I sniffled, rubbing my damp locks of hair between the soft material of the towel.

I stood and took off my wet clothes, trading them for some dry ones.

I shivered as I finally snuggled in to the warmth of the bed.

In retrospect, I had been reckless.

Sitting on the railing knowing that I couldn't swim…

But I couldn't help but feel a little thankful for the course of events as it meant that I got the captain to admit that beneath everything...he did feel.

I closed my eyes against the darkness, fatigue finally wrapping my body as the pain from my fall resurfaced.

~•~

I sipped carefully at the hot liquid in the mug.

The tea that the Angelica Root produced was bitter, but its positive effects were undeniable.

I was the only one in the galley, as most of the crew had woken up much earlier.

I had been surprised to find how tired I really was. Maybe it was the fall I had taken, but I ended up sleeping in far more than I had expected.

When I had waken up, the sun had reached its peak in the skies and the hallways were empty as all of the crew was upstairs getting work done.

I felt a little bad that I had slept in so much, ignoring my chores, but my body had explained to me clearly that it was not in any shape to work today.

Every part ached.

I supposed the shock of falling and the euphoria of kissing the captain had gotten me through yesterday without the bother of pain, but when I had awoken this morning the pain hit me in a vengeful amount of force.

I had somehow managed to drag myself to the galleys where James had offered me a mug of hot water, seeing my dismal state.

I gladly accepted and added the Angelica Root that Alice had given me to make sure that my monthly time didn't make an unwanted reappearance.

I licked my lips and set down the mug, closing my eyes as the tea burned its way down my throat.

"Bella?"

I turned to see Alice and Jasper approaching me tentatively.

I smiled warmly at them as they took the seats opposite me. Both their faces reflected pity and I immediately grew wary.

Did the captain tell them about my fall yesterday?

Or…our kiss?

"Are you okay, Bella?" Alice asked, her eyes worried. Jasper leaned forward, the expression in his eyes matching Alice's.

I swallowed, my heart speeding up in my chest as it thumped wildly in my chest. "Of course, why do you ask?"

Jasper cleared his throat, looking at Alice briefly before turning back to me. "Well, your Uncle…"

_This was about Uncle Alec_.

I exhaled quickly, my heart slowing down till I could no longer hear it ringing in my ears. They weren't talking about last night.

Edward hadn't told them.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that. Was I happy that he had respected my privacy, or was I upset that he had hid it from his best friend and pseudo-sister?

Jasper sighed. "Bella, your Uncle's _alive_...and well, that's more than I can say for others who get in Edward's way."

Alice nodded quickly in agreement and turned to me. "Really, Bella. He's safe, and you shouldn't worry about him."

"I know," I nodded, trying to reassure them. "I'm fine." It was a half-truth. "And you're right, he's safe. I can't keep dwelling on what happened."

Jasper breathed a greatly exaggerated sigh of relief and wiped an invisible drop of sweat from his head with a chuckle. "Good, 'cause you know we can't have a weak link on this ship."

I giggled as Alice whacked him upside the head. "Jasper!" She glared at him reproachfully.

"What?" Jasper scowled, rubbing the spot where Alice had hit him. "She's fine! She's made of stronger stuff than you think, Alice."

Alice rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "Anyways, Bella, are you feeling well enough to coming up on deck? Of course, if you're still distraught…"

I laughed. "Alice, I'm not _distraught_. And yes, I would love to come up on deck."

Alice smiled at me and stood up, linking her arm through mine. She tugged me up and practically skipped out of the galleys, Jasper trailing behind us with an amused smile.

"You have no idea how worried I was about you," Alice rambled, her eyes widening in an effort emphasize her point. "I could hardly sleep. Stayed up half the night, didn't I, Jasper?"

Jasper closed his eyes and groaned at the memory. "Why do you I think I have these dark circles, love?"

I giggled as Alice shot him an indignant look.

"I wasn't _that_ bad." She said.

"Oh, really? What was it then that kept me up all night? 'Oh, Jasper, what if she leaves again?' 'You don't think she'll jump off the ship, do you?'" Jasper imitated her in a high-pitched voice, dodging Alice's hand as she tried to whack him in the stomach.

I blushed as Jasper laughed. He didn't know how close to the truth his imitation had been.

_Well, technically I didn't _jump_ off the ship._

"You're a jerk." Alice informed him with a scowl.

"No, I'm a pirate." Jasper grinned.

"Same thing." Alice waved it off as we finally approached the stairs to the deck. She hurried forward, letting go of my hand.

I made to move after Alice, but Jasper's hand quickly shot out, grabbing my arm.

I glanced back at him, my brows furrowed. Alice turned back to us, raising an eyebrow.

"You go ahead, Alice," Jasper said, nodding firmly. "Bella will be up in a few."

Alice shot him a curious look, but his tone had apparently told her not to argue. She nodded and turned around, heading on to the deck.

Jasper and I watched as she left before turning to each other.

"What's wrong, Jasper?" I asked.

"Edward asked to see you." Jasper told me.

My heart jumped to my throat and I scowled inwardly.

_I had to stop doing that every time someone mentioned the captain_.

"Oh?" I asked, my voice casual. "Did he say why?"

Jasper shook his head, an inquisitive expression filling his face.

He hesitated a second. "Bella, what happened last night?" He blurted out, his eyes daring me to pretend nothing happened.

My eyes widened and my heart sped up.

_What?_ _How did he know?_

"N-nothing," I stammered, avoiding his sharp eyes. "Why do you ask?"

I flinched, my reply sounding false even to my ears.

Jasper raised an eyebrow, his expression bordering on amused. "Bella, Edward was my best friend long before he was my captain. No one can read him as well as I."

He had a point. He had known the captain the longest.

But to me, the captain was a puzzle.

I could never see what was behind that stoic mask he held in place so well. Last night...was an exception. For a moment, however brief, I saw an emotion.

Heat filled my face and I quickly looked away from Jasper.

I knew what he was assuming about the captain and I. It was what everyone was assuming.

But I didn't know what the captain was feeling. I didn't know what exactly it was he wanted from me.

Who was I to say anything about what was going on when I didn't even understand it myself?

Jasper sighed as I carefully avoided his gaze.

"You don't need to tell me anything, Bella. I don't know what happened with you and Edward last night, but I would have to be blind not to see what's happening with you and him."

My eyes widened and shot up to his. He smiled wryly.

"The only person on this ship that doesn't know there's something between you and Edward, is Emmett and that's because he can't see past his next meal." Jasper remarked.

I giggled slightly at that and Jasper continued.

"You're a good person, Bella. You have the ability to either make or break him." He glanced down at me carefully. "I hope you don't choose the latter."

My mouth fell open as Jasper nodded once at me before heading up the stairs to the deck.

My heart was thumping dangerously fast in my chest.

_What in the world did Jasper mean?_

I swallowed when I realized how far I had truly immersed myself in this. When I had left home I had not really expected much from my little rendezvous.

I wanted desperately to get away, but I didn't actually think that I would get very far. In the back of my mind I knew that I would be caught eventually and sent back home.

Everything would be mundane and normal again in no time.

To think how far I had gotten...to think that I was on a _pirate_ ship...it was unbelievable.

Not to mention my confusion when it came to the dangerous _captain_ of the pirate ship.

I had never felt this way about a man before. I could remember Allison giggling to me after a ball about some of the more handsome men, but I had never understood.

I couldn't see the appeal that Allison saw because to me they were all _the_ _same_. All of them were looking for one thing; _power_.

If they married, it wasn't for love, it was for power. Of course, there were also those who married for lust, but it was brief and rarely expanded to anything more.

But the captain…

He didn't want power because, well, he already had it.

No one would dare confront a pirate, let alone one as dangerous as he.

Further adding to his mystery was the fact that he was simply _unreadable_. I never understood what he was doing or what he was feeling.

It was very frustrating.

Every time I thought of him, a strange feeling erupted in my stomach; like a thousand butterflies struggling to break free.

When he kissed me, I felt a strange need for something _more_. It was almost as if my body knew what was to come even if my mind didn't.

Mother had educated me on what was required of a woman in her marriage bed, but simply the way she spoke alerted me to fact that she had not told me everything.

I was slowly understanding what my Mother had omitted.

When Mother had told me about it, she was precise and cold.

I had come to believe that it was a simple act. A chore. A duty.

But the mutual...excitement that had surrounded us when the captain had kissed me yesterday made me believe that _maybe_...there could be something more.

Passion and...love.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall, my hands coming up to cover my mouth.

_What are you doing, Isabella?_

This is the same man that had shown nothing but cruelty towards you when you first boarded this ship.

He is a pirate.

What could come of this relationship you seek with him?

You _will_ be found my Father and Lord Black one day. You know it.

And the captain...he lives by the sea. Why would he give up everything he has earned to be with a 'silly girl'?

To my surprise the thought jerked roughly at my heart, causing water to spring to my eyes.

...Would he really throw me away like that?

I exhaled slowly and stared down at my feet, allowing my arms to fall at my sides.

In the end, perhaps the captain was right.

I _was_ just a 'silly girl'. I was on a pirate ship to, struggling to avoid Lord Black and his cruel intentions and I was being overwhelmed by feelings for the captain?

And to top it off, a captain who wouldn't look twice at me, I thought bitterly.

He was a...very attractive man. I had no doubt that he could have any woman he wanted.

I just happened to be the only available woman on the ship.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

I had to stop this. I had to stay strong if I wanted to keep my dignity with me. I would not let myself be trampled over by some silly feelings.

Pushing off of the wall, I made my way down the hall towards the captain's room.

Jasper had told me he wanted to see me.

There was still a rather large part of me that was nervous about meeting with the captain after what had occurred last night, but I pushed that part down.

When I reached his door, I knocked lightly on the wood. Hearing a low, _'come in'_, I pushed the door open and stepped hesitantly inside.

My breath hitched in my throat when I saw him, despite my efforts to keep a calm facade.

He was dressed in his usual attire - a thin, light colored shirt and black breeches that were tucked in to boots.

His eyes were as cold and calculating as ever, his stance nonchalant but somehow threatening as he leaned over his desk.

He looked up when I entered, his eyes casually assessing me beneath his lashes.

I swallowed as he straightened up and observed me carefully. Unlike before, his eyes weren't judging - merely curious and probing.

I cleared my throat and blushed when I realized he was waiting for me to speak first. "Jasper said that you asked to see me."

The captain exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving mine and nodded.

His eyes grew serious. "Your Uncle," He began, causing my stomach to clench. "I let him live."

I stared at him confused, wondering why he was telling me this. "I...saw."

One of his hands came to rest on the back of the desk chair while the other moved to slowly trace the length of his dagger that was on the table.

I forced my eyes to return to his when he spoke. "I'm beginning to think that was a mistake." He said, his eyes darkening.

"And...why is that?" I asked him, my voice shaking slightly.

_A mistake?_

Did that mean he would hunt Uncle Alec down again? I felt my stomach churn with fear.

_Oh God, I hoped not._

The captain lifted his dagger and traced the edge of the metal, his eyes following his finger till it reached the tip.

He looked back at me, his eyes narrowing. "Miss Swan, I'm going to ask you a question and let me make very clear to you that I demand complete honesty."

I felt my heart beat faster in my chest at the menace under his words. I swallowed. "Of course." I managed.

_What could he want to ask me?_

"Do you believe that there is a possibility, however meek, that your Uncle would come after you?" The captain asked me, setting the dagger down and taking a step closer to me.

His lips had thinned and his jaw was set. Narrowed eyes burned in to me and I realized truly why people feared him. Everything in his expression simply dared me to lie to him.

It was a testament to how much courage I had gained over the past few days that I dared to do just that.

It was my Uncle's _life_ on the line. I was not going to risk it just because I was afraid of the captain.

I took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes, forcing myself not to flinch.

"I do not think that my Uncle would come after us." I said slowly.

"You're lying."

There was not a shadow of doubt in his statement. He simply stared at me as though waiting for me to tell the truth.

I shook my head resolutely. "I'm not lying." I said firmly.

He smirked though there was no amusement behind it. "You lie so blatantly, and yet you expect honesty from others. Tell me, Miss Swan, does it please you to live in such a life of hypocrisy?"

I sucked in a harsh breath, feeling myself well with indignation. "How can you judge me so easily? I'm not lying!"

_Liar._

The captain rolled his eyes and took another step forward. "If your Uncle truly cares for you as much as it appeared yesterday, he would be a fool not to send someone after you. Even _you_ would be able to assume as much."

I glared at the insulting tone. "If you _knew_, then why bother asking me?"

He took another two steps towards me, his smirk back. "Maybe I wanted to see how far your love for this man would go. Would you lie to a pirate captain to save his life?"

I stared up at him defiantly. "Yes."

"So you _did_ lie."

"I said I _would_, I never said I _did_." I clarified hurriedly, my filter falling to pieces as he edged closer to me.

I had to strain my neck to look up in his eyes as I only came up to his shoulder.

"Now, isn't that the same thing, Miss Swan?" He whispered, amusement visible in his voice when I gasped softly at his close proximity.

I scowled.

_He knew what he was doing to me._

The captain smirked and let out a small chuckle. He slowly backed away from me and shook his head.

"Regardless of whether _you_ think your Uncle is coming after you or not, I've decided to stay off the seas for a while." He informed me.

I looked at him, surprised.

He continued. "We'll be arriving at port in an hour or so."

I gaped at him.

_Was he doing what I thought he was doing?_

The last time he had made an emergency visit to port, he was forcing me off the ship. Was he going to do it again? Did he think that I was a danger to have on the ship?

Fear rose in my throat at the thought of being stranded at an unknown port again.

We both knew how it had ended last time.

I quickly struggled to come up with reasons to stay away from the port. "Well, wouldn't it be safer to stay on the sea where we can...avoid them?"

He quirked an eyebrow at me.

I rambled on, trying to make him see the logic in staying on the seas. "The ocean, it-it never ends! You could keep sailing for ages and you could easily outrun them. But on port, who knows-"

"Miss Swan, if I wanted to get rid of you, it would be much more beneficial for me to simply sell you off to the highest bidder, namely your fiancé." He interrupted, quickly figuring out why I was arguing, much to my chagrin.

I snapped my mouth shut as he continued.

"The fact that I have taken no action to do so should indicate to you quite clearly my lack of intention to force you off this ship. Now, do you have any more qualms?"

I gaped at him and quickly shook my head.

_He didn't...want me to leave._

He hadn't said that in so many words, but it was implied. Maybe...maybe I hadn't imagined what had happened last night.

Edward nodded. "After all, Alice wouldn't like it if I left you in port."

My hope fell and I scowled at him.

_Of course._

He smirked at my expression and grabbed his dagger, tucking it inside his boot.

My eyes widened as he looked up and walked quickly over to me. Before I knew what had happened he had me pressed against the wall.

I gasped as his chest touched mine. My hands clutched firmly at the wall behind me for balance as he looked down at me.

His eyes were hooded and searching for something in mine as they always did.

His hand snaked its way around my waist, his thumb lightly rubbing my hipbone. I sucked in a quick breath at the still-strange feel of a man's hands on my body.

It was such a foreign feeling.

_Was he going to kiss me again?_

All previous thoughts of forgetting about the captain vanished when I looked up at him again, excitement filling me.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yes?" I whispered, embarrassed to find the breathy tone my voice had adopted.

A small smile quirked at the corner of the captain's face as he leaned in to me. He exhaled softly. "You're leaning on my sword."

My eyes snapped open from their hooded state.

"Wha-you-but-," I sputtered at him as he chuckled at my expression.

He used the hand already on my hip to maneuver me away from the wall where…

…the sword was resting comfortably.

I gaped, my eyes moving between the sword and the captain who quickly grabbed it and tucked it in to its sheath in his belt loop.

He smirked at my disbelieving expression. "We should be close by now. I have to make sure that none of my crew are slacking on deck like you are."

"Wha-_you _called me here!" I cried, infuriated by the injustice of that statement.

"A good pirate knows when to disobey their captain."

"I'll keep that in mind when pushing you off the ship." I muttered, quietly enough so that the captain wouldn't hear.

Though, judging by the slight quirk of his lips, he had probably heard it anyway.

Something about the captain brought out the most un-ladylike part of me.

"Make sure your Uncle doesn't cause problems for us," He threw out, his smirk falling. "I don't particularly like killing men unnecessarily."

There was no trace of humor in his expression or his voice and I knew he was serious.

I swallowed and nodded.

He walked towards the door and opened it, turning towards me.

He raised an eyebrow when I continued to stand there. "Well, go on, Miss Swan. Some of us actually have work to do." He said, cold seeping in to his voice again.

I glared at him as I strode quickly past him.

_Why did he do this?_

Smirking and laughing one minute, and the next he would ice me out again.

I walked as fast as I could down the hall without breaking in to a sprint. I wanted to get away from him as fast as possible.

He was...dangerous. He was bad for me.

When I was with him, I lost all sense of reason. With a pirate captain…that was something you simply could not afford.

I could hear him shut the door behind him as I ascended the stairs that led on to deck.

The sun was shining in full force, almost as though it were making up for the rain yesterday.

I was surprised to see land not too far away. The captain had apparently made his decision long before I had waken.

I furrowed my brows when I saw a couple of men lowering a smaller, wooden ship in to the water on the other side of the ship.

_Why were they doing that?_

There was an air of excitement about the crew. I had often wondered how so many men could be cooped up on a ship for months on end.

They were clearly thrilled to have a taste of what the endless merchants at port had to offer, and of course, rum.

None of them were working with quite the usual vigor that they did in their restlessness and it was obvious that this fact was not pleasing Jasper.

He had a severe scowl on his face as he observed everyone go about their chores half-heartedly. I smiled softly to myself.

My eyes quickly sought out Alice on the deck, spotting her leaning against the far railing and observing what was happening on deck.

I walked over to her. Her expression immediately brightened when she saw me.

"There you are!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me over to where she was standing. "I was so bored without you. And Jasper has work to do."

I laughed at her. "Jasper looks really mad."

Alice rolled her eyes. "This happens every time we go to port. The crew forget that they have to work to _get_ to port."

I nodded in understanding. "It's understandable, isn't it? There's only so much time one can spend on a ship." My gaze flickered to the ship that was now completely lowered. "What are they doing?"

"Oh, with the ship?" Alice clarified. I nodded. "They're going to send one of the crew out to take a look at the port before we dock. See?"

She pointed at one of the crew members whom I hadn't noticed before.

He was dressed in a large, expensive-looking jacket and clean pressed slacks. In his hands was a hat, which he was looking at with disdain.

"It's better when we do this," Alice continued. "We don't do it a lot, because Edward doesn't even _plan_ to a port unless he's positive that it's safe, but…" She glanced up at me. "With what happened with your Uncle, we're just being careful."

"So do they just make sure there's no traitors in the port?" I asked her.

Alice nodded. "And we have to make sure there's not too many Guards."

I bit my lip as the captain walked out on to the deck. Immediately, the crew focused on their chores like they always did when in the presence of the captain.

It was almost comical how they went from laughing and joking to concentrating like their lives depended on it. Knowing the captain...they probably did.

The captain immediately went over to Jasper who was talking to the man in the fancy clothing. The man listened carefully to what they were saying, nodding here and there.

"Why doesn't the captain go himself? I didn't think he'd be the type to allow someone to go in his place." I commented to Alice.

She snickered. "I asked him that once. He said that he didn't want to go because he didn't want to wear those ridiculous looking clothes."

I giggled with her, blushing when I caught myself thinking that the captain would look nice in anything.

Alice and I watched quietly as the man placed the hat on his head with a disgruntled sigh and made his way to the edge of the ship where a rope was dangling on to the boat below.

He slowly lowered himself down and jumped on to the boat, holding his arms out for balance as the boat swayed slightly.

"Remember!" The captain called out sternly. "Do _not_ give yourself away."

"Yes, sir!" Called out the man, with a two-fingered salute.

"When will he return?" I asked Alice as the man started rowing towards the port with a wooden oar.

Alice shrugged. "Last time it took about half an hour."

~•~

I blew a lock of hair that had fallen out of my braid away from my face.

It had been silly of me to think that the sun would come without heat, I supposed.

However, I honestly did not know how the crew worked in this heat everyday. It was no wonder they were so tough.

The muggy weather was enough to whip anyone in to shape.

Alice leaned her head against my shoulder and groaned. "I hate waiting." She grumbled childishly.

I smiled at her antics. "You said it took a half hour last time. If it takes the same amount of time this time, he should be back soon."

"He better."

Seth, Quill, and Embry had come out on deck a while ago after working inside for the majority of the morning. They were now on the edge of the ship, waiting impatiently the man's return.

The captain had long before returned to his room, ordering Jasper to notify him immediately when the man arrived.

I could have sworn I felt his gaze on me when he retreated below deck, but I refused to meet it.

"He's back!" Quill shouted from the front of the ship.

The effect of his words were immediate.

Everyone who had sat down while waiting jumped to their feet, Alice included.

I scrambled to my feet quickly, watching with everyone else as the man inched closer to the ship with each tug of the oar.

The anticipation was tangible as the boat finally reached _Twilight_. One of the crew members threw down a rope and the man quickly hoisted himself up on to the ship.

The crew may have been excited but that hadn't had any effect on the ship hierarchy. The man went immediately to Jasper who spoke quickly to him.

It was impossible to hear what they were talking about, but judging by the wide smile on the man's face, it was good news.

Alice nudged me with an excited grin on her face. "The port's clear, I know it."

I grinned back at her.

I rather liked sailing on the sea, but I was eager to explore this new port.

Jasper smiled at the man and quickly strode across the deck below deck, no doubt to inform the captain of what he had found.

~•~

**EPOV:**

"It's clear, Edward," Jasper grinned widely at me. "No Guards as far as he saw, we're good."

I smirked at him, pleased. I got up from my desk. "Tell the crew to make for the port."

Jasper nodded and quickly closed the door behind him.

I exhaled hard as he left.

I knew what being cooped up on a ship could do to a man's sanity. My crew needed this.

Perhaps the appearance of Miss Swan's Uncle had been a blessing.

_Miss Swan._

I sighed and dropped back down in to my desk chair, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers.

She was the thorn in my side that I couldn't seem to get out.

All these years I've spent bidding my time; learning everything I don't know and honing everything I have.

I haven't had time for feelings. Any emotion that I felt, I hid. My reasoning was that these feelings...these emotions...they were what got me here in the first place; a Father's trust and a Mother's love.

It blinded them, causing them to forget to watch their backs against the person they believed in the most.

Hiding these emotions was a most necessary precaution. That was what I had figured. Then _she_ came along. And I found myself often fighting for the control I had gained, because she took it from me with ease.

With all of her curiosity and her appreciation of things I'd deemed completely normal...Suddenly I wanted to see the world from her eyes. I wanted to see the beauty in everybody as she does. I _wanted_...For the first time in years I wanted something other than revenge.

I wanted her.

**AN:** **Hi everyone! So I really wanted to make this chapter, well...all about Edward! 'Cause, you can never have enough Edward. But seriously, this chapter was all about seeing him grow as a character, so I hope that came across!**

**I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update quicker, but it was the holiday season and I was rushing to finish a couple of last minute projects. I promise that now that the holidays have begun, updates will come out a lot faster!**

**Thank you to all you wonderful people that reviewed (You mean the world to me) : deranged-dreamer, KhristenHartgrove, Breaking-Midnight, NoCoolNamehere, SarahCullenxxx, Krmyers10, amberkey, Jojo657, Mandita 93, dipsydoodle, cullenchanel, m0t0b33, LiLi82, ginkgo00, Mz-Star, majobloem, LuckiLuci, lizz9, Bronzehaircullen, bc, xXxKirenxXx, ADADancer, gothgirl1245, shaz308, wilhelmiina2, Elana86, Girl-on-moon, YesMyRealNameIsBella, stephi910, maryannabella, xrissyjax, cbmorefie, robsmom, whisperwind1886, Dan-Dan, Valentine Rain, Love2readgirl, LaSpia, haylee21, LadyTx, Nissa-Cullen, AllThingsTwilight, Emsily, Savannah, sujari6, draconerd, Molly Dooker, Keewho**

**Just to address a question that was asked a chapter or two ago: Yes, Angelica Root is actually often used to prevent pain during menstrual cycle. I've read that it **_**can**_** actually hold off the flow, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. I'm going to have to take a little bit of artistic license with this… ;)**

**Thank you all for sticking with me!**

**Review, review, review and I'll update soon!**

**M-J**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

**BPOV:**

The excitement was tangible as the crew rushed ahead of me. I moved to follow them but was stopped when Alice grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"Let them go first." She advised me, nodding towards the clump of men all trying to get off the ship at the same time.

Seeing her point, I stepped back and allowed a few more men to rush past me. I couldn't help but grin myself. I had grown quite fond of the ship and the sea, but it was nice to be able to have solid ground under my feet again.

Alice saw my giddy expression and laughed. "It's always exciting to see what the port has to offer." She agreed with my unspoken opinion.

"Rum." Emmett boomed, coming up from behind us with a large grin on his face. "Don't forget the rum."

"Yes, Emmett. We haven't forgotten the rum." Jasper's exasperated voice came soon after as he joined us at the edge of the ship. "You'll get it soon enough."

He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly at Alice and me. Alice laughed and reached up to kiss Jasper's cheek. His expression softened and he grinned down at her.

I giggled at their antics and followed Jasper as he led us down the now, less crowded plank.

Emmett let out an indignant cry from behind us. "Don't act like that isn't all you've been thinking about." He scowled, wagging a finger at Jasper.

Jasper swatted the finger away and wrapped an arm around Alice as we walked away from the ship and on to the crowded streets.

"I do have other things to think about, Emmett." Jasper intoned as we came to a stop. He was clearly just provoking Emmett right now, judging by his broad smirk.

"Oh, I think about other things, lad," Emmett assured him. "Just not when I'm in the presence of rum. I feel like I'm betraying her."

"_Her_?" I questioned the insanity, unable to stop myself.

Emmett turned to me with a broad grin on his face, but before he could answer, a strong voice interrupted our conversation.

"I sincerely hope you don't think that you're going to be traversing this port _alone_, Miss Swan." The captain said condescendingly as he strolled up to us.

His stance was casual as he slowed to a stop and glanced down at me. Casual though he was, his sword was placed, certainly by no coincidence, in clear view.

It was a silent threat to anyone who was brave enough to approach the feared captain.

However at this moment, I found that I couldn't be bothered by his threatening presence.

I felt indignation grow within me when I realized what he was saying.

"What?" I immediately demanded. "What do you mean I can't go alone?"

Stoically, he raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought it to be self-explanatory."

"Edward," Alice sighed, stepping forward. "You let _me_ go alone."

"You let _her _go alone?" I asked, exasperated. "Then I don't see why _I_ can't go alone!"

The captain narrowed his eyes.

"My orders do not need to be explained. Least of all to someone who is living under my charity." He said, his voice low.

I gaped at him, stunned in to silence by the injustice of his demands.

He continued, ignoring my expression. "You will stay with Jasper, Emmett, or myself."

I glared at him, my mouth snapping shut. "Why do you let Alice go alone?"

"Because she knows how to take care of herself, and she doesn't have a price over her head." The captain said immediately.

Alice let out a small laugh. "Thanks, Edward. I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said about me."

He simply raised an eyebrow at her.

Jasper let out a sigh, deciding to intervene. "Bella, I know this may seem unfair to you, but I have to side with Edward on this one. You shouldn't be on your own."

"But, Jasper-," I began.

"It's not up for debate." The captain interrupted, his eyes fixed in a steely glare.

I matched his glare. "Can I go with Alice at least?"

"Not a chance."

"But you said Alice could take care of herself!" I cried.

"I said she could take care of _herself_. I said nothing about her taking care of you." The captain said calmly.

Alice groaned in frustration. "Fine, _you_ come with us."

The captain's eyes flickered to me and his lip curled up in what looked like disdain. "I'd rather not."

My indignant expression fell as quickly as it came.

I felt like someone had slapped me. His words and expression..._stung_. I took a step back and quickly looked away from him, afraid that my face would betray my hurt.

I felt my lip quiver and was shocked to feel tears gather at the corners of my eyes.

I blinked rapidly in a desperate attempt to push them back.

How did he do that? He would act one way one second, touching me and even _apologizing_, and the next I was worth nothing more than the dirt on his boot.

The way he had looked at me...it was as if I was...nothing.

_A 'burden'._

The tears were back and I had to struggle to hold them off. How could he affect me so badly with a second's worth of actions?

Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed my sudden speechlessness.

"Okay, fine," Emmett interrupted my thoughts. "I'll go with Bella and Alice while they shop."

I looked up and smiled softly at him. "Thanks, Emmett."

At least _he_ didn't find me repulsive.

He grinned back at me, thankfully unaware of the tears threatening to fall.

In the back of my mind I registered the feeling of the captain's gaze on me, but I refused to meet it. The mere thought of looking at him was causing the lump in my throat to grow.

"That's settled then! Emmett will come with us and Jasper will stay with you. Satisfied?" Alice asked the captain sarcastically.

He must have given some sort of affirmation, because Alice nodded and grabbed my arm and dragged me away from where the captain and Jasper were standing.

Emmett followed us, matching our quick strides easily. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and smiled widely down at me.

"Don't you worry about Edward, Bella," He said casually. "You'll have much more fun with me and Alice than you would alone, I promise."

Alice nodded in agreement. "Look around, Bella!" She encouraged.

I did as she asked and was unable to stop a small smile from making its way on to my face.

The sea had its own beauty, but when we came to port, it was all color and variety.

Vendors lined the streets, proclaiming loudly the merchandise and prices they could offer. They sold everything from food to jewelry.

It was when I came to port that I realized just how much had been hidden from me.

I always knew I had been sheltered, but to not be exposed to such diversity…

As we passed by some stalls, the vendors would practically jump out on to the streets to offer us what they sold.

"Would the pretty lady like a necklace?" An old lady smiled at me.

"Or a scarf?" A young man pushed the soft material at Alice.

"No, thank you." I managed, smiling politely as Emmett pushed us forward.

Were it not for him and his looming presence, I had a sneaking suspicion that they would latch on to us until we bought their items.

Emmett let out a loud chuckle at my slightly taken aback expression. "If you think _this_ is bad, wait till tonight."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Alice rolled her eyes, unfazed by the persistence of the vendors. "He's talking about when the wenches come out tonight."

"_Wenches?_" I repeated, my eyes widening.

I hadn't forgotten when Rosalie had mistaken me for a wench on my very first night outside home. I should have known that wenches were everywhere.

I knew that they were just making a living, but something about the thought of them made me very uncomfortable.

"Of course." Emmett said, a broad smile moving across his face. "It's been too long since I've had me a good wench."

Blood rushed to my face and I watched with amazement as Emmett discussed his conquests with an improper amount of nonchalance.

Alice stared at him with disgust. "Emmett, must we talk about this?"

"What?" Emmett said defensively. "What's wrong with talking about wenches? You'll see them soon enough."

"It's revolting." Alice said firmly, looking to me for some sort of support in her argument. "Selling yourself for a night."

"That's true." I agreed, mainly so as to shorten this conversation.

When Emmett opened his mouth to argue against this reasoning, I forced myself to block out the conversation, turning my attentions instead to the vendors.

Suddenly, something glinted in the sunlight, catching my eye.

It was a bracelet. A _beautiful_ bracelet.

Set in some sort of silver, real or fake I couldn't tell, were small stones. The stones were greener than grass, yet almost transparent.

All the stones came together at the end of the bracelet, meeting at the clasp.

I had never been one for jewelry. I knew that all my Mother's jewelry would one day fall to me, but nothing had ever caught my eye as this one did.

I didn't even have the will to berate myself for wanting to buy it.

Looking closer, I saw that it was dangling off of the small finger of a young girl.

She couldn't have been more than seven or eight. Her light brown hair was matted with dirt and grime, as was her face.

Her blue eyes were wide and staring, almost fearfully, at the people who passed.

Along with the bracelet I liked so much, were several others hanging off her finger. She was obviously selling them.

I felt my heart clench as she stood silently, shrinking behind other vendors.

She looked so…_lost_.

Before I could move towards the girl on instinct, I felt Alice nudge me.

"Bella, look!" She said excitedly, pointing towards a vendor selling some sort of pastry. "You have to try it!"

I followed her reluctantly towards the vendor. "What is it?" I asked as Alice pulled out the small bag of gold that I had returned to her after my little adventure.

"Just try it." Emmett urged. "You won't regret it."

I glanced over my shoulder at the little girl. I turned back to Alice and nudged her.

I jerked my head in the direction of the little girl when Alice looked at me questioningly.

Alice followed my gaze and her expression immediately softened.

I knew that if anyone would sympathize with the little girl, it would be Alice.

After all, she had been in a similar position before the captain had taken her in.

Alice turned towards the vendor and asked for another piece of the pastry, handing us ours before making her way over to the little girl.

Emmett and I watched as Alice knelt down next to the girl and held out the bread.

The girls' eyes widened and she flinched back slightly. Alice moved closer, softly reaching out to hold the girls hand.

She nodded towards the bread, urging her to take it. The girl looked between the bread and Alice, slowly taking it.

I smiled as the girl held it up to her lips, taking a small bite out of it. She beamed up at Alice who smiled back at her.

Emmett nudged me and I looked up to see him grinning at me.

"Damn women and their big hearts." He sighed, winking to let me know he was just teasing.

I laughed with him as Alice walked back to us. She just shrugged when Emmett gave her a knowing grin.

"Come on," She said, grabbing my arm. "There's so much more to see."

~•~

Just as Emmett had promised, the night had brought with it several scantily-clad women all vying for the attention of men.

Also in accordance to what he had said, they were even more persistent than the vendors. They would call out to us as we passed, even going so far as to grab Emmett's arm.

Though it frightened me just a little, Alice found it very funny.

She laughed as yet another wench batted her eyes flirtatiously at Emmett. "Careful, Emmett. You have another admirer."

Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, causing Emmett to scowl at her.

"You're just jealous."

"_Jealous?_" Alice laughed even harder. "I have a man already, thanks. I don't need to get robbed under the pretense of affection."

I bit back a smile at their playful banter. It was nice to see them so carefree.

However, unease built in my stomach as I glanced around me.

The sides of the street that were littered with innocent shoppers in the morning were now filled with lecherous men and lewd catcalls. Women and men kissed with abandon in the streets, uncaring of people seeing them.

Just the thought made me blush.

Emmett glanced back at me, evidently picking up on my unease. "Why don't we go to the bar? Jasper and Edward will be there."

I sighed in relief and nodded enthusiastically.

_Anything to get off of these streets._

Alice rolled her eyes. "You just want to go there for the wenches." She said shrewdly.

Emmett grinned. "That too."

Alice and I laughed. "Incorrigible." Alice smiled at him, shaking her head.

I felt my smile fade slightly when I realized that the wenches would be in the bar too...with Jasper and...the captain.

It was common knowledge that pirates took wenches when they came to port. Some were even known to keep them on their ship.

But, the captain wouldn't...would he?

I felt a strange, foreign feeling build in my stomach at the thought. It was as if a fire had been lit and it was racing its way up my chest.

It made me sick.

Alice frowned as she noticed my suddenly pale complexion. "Bella, are you alright?"

I hesitated, licking my dry lips. "Alice, do you know if…well…" I took a deep breath. "Does the captain ever wench?"

Understanding filled her face and her lips quivered as though she were holding back a smile. "No, not really. He used to, but not much anymore."

I exhaled and nodded at Alice.

Her response hadn't calmed the storm of emotions in my stomach.

'_He used to'_.

I glanced at the women around me. They were wearing extremely tight dresses, with the sleeves halfway down their arms.

So much of their shoulders and breasts were revealed that the dress may as well have been nothing more than a decoration!

I felt sickened at the thought of the captain ever taking a fancy to one of those women.

Was that the type of woman that he enjoyed?

I looked down at my feet bitterly.

I could never be like one of those women. I could never wear such a revealing dress or throw myself at a man. The _captain_ probably wanted someone who would.

A high-pitched giggle suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

I glanced in the direction of the sound to see one of the wenches wrapping her arms around a tall, older man. She smiled seductively up at him, hitching her leg up against his side.

My eyes widened as the man smiled suggestively back at her and ran his hands down her sides, coming to rest them at her waist.

The scene was so similar to the one that I had seen when I first ran away from home, that it scared me a little.

I watched them, a mixture of fear, disgust, and intrigue building up in me.

Is this what kissing led to?

I swallowed when the man turned towards me, apparently sensing my gaze on him. He smirked at me.

On closer inspection the man was quite old, wrinkles lining the corners of his eyes and gray hairs in between the brown.

I gasped softly when he leered at me, licking his lips.

Blushing, I hurried to catch up with Emmett and Alice who were a few steps ahead of me.

Emmett frowned when he noticed me rushing towards them. His eyes flickered towards the man who was still staring at me and he growled, pushing me ahead of him so that his massive body blocked mine from view.

Alice noticed Emmett's protective stance and glared at the lewd man, lacing her arm through mine.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked me gently.

I nodded, still slightly shocked at what happened.

_Just keep your eyes to yourself, Bella!_

"You should have brought your wig." Emmett muttered to me, still glaring daggers at the man who was now barely in view.

I immediately shook my head, sighing.

"I can't spend my life hiding, Emmett." I frowned, realizing that even if I _did_ want to bring my wig, I didn't know where it was.

Seth had given it to me that day…but I must have forgotten it in the galleys when the captain and I had fought.

Emmett led us towards a small building in front of which the majority of people with mugs of rum were standing.

Though it looked small from the outside, the inside turned out to be far roomier. However, with the amount of people, it couldn't be told for sure how big it was.

Despite the crowd, Jasper and the captain were immediately visible.

Seated at the counter of the bar with a mug of rum in their hands, they were carefully avoided by most of the people that passed by them.

It seemed that the people knew to give the formidable pirate captain and his first mate a wide berth.

However, as we moved towards them, I noticed that this prudence was not shared by the wenches in the bar.

They were all crowded at the other side of the room with a group of men, yet that didn't stop their gazes from wondering with frequent repetition to the captain.

I felt the familiar sick feeling fill me and was immediately incensed.

This shouldn't upset me.

So what if the captain found one of these women attractive?

I…I certainly didn't care.

I knew that in all honesty the captain was a very attractive man and that women, especially ones that were paid to..._service_ men, would want him.

After all, why be with an unattractive man when you could be with a handsome one and earn the same amount of money?

I frowned.

_Why was I thinking all of this?_

I shook my head and followed Alice who had latched firmly on to my hand to make sure that I didn't get lost in the crowd.

As we approached Jasper and the captain, they turned towards us. Jasper smiled widely, while the captain merely raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement.

I resolutely avoided his eyes as we greeted them.

"Jasper!" Alice immediately skipped over to him, hopping on to his lap.

Jasper chuckled and held her tightly to him. I smiled at Jasper who nodded back at me.

I moved to sit on the other side of the couple when a strong hand grabbed my wrist.

My eyes shot towards the captain as he pulled me backwards. I stumbled towards him, shocked.

His expression was casual, but his eyes were narrowed, his gaze holding me in place. He leaned back in his bar stool, observing me as though he'd never seen me properly before.

My brows furrowed and I stared at him, confused. His grip on my wrist relaxed slightly as his thumb brushed repeatedly over my pulse point.

He rested his other arm on the counter as he ran his index finger along his bottom lip, his bronze hair falling in his eyes.

"You're sitting between me and Emmett." He commanded finally, gesturing to the seat next to him. "Never out of my sight."

I gaped at him.

_'Never out of my sight'?_

I wanted to be angry at him. I wanted to show him that I was furious, but when he was this irrational and completely unpredictable, I found that shock often overtook my other emotions.

He suddenly let go of my wrist, causing me to stumble backwards in to Emmett.

Emmett steadied me and rolled his eyes at the captain.

"Stop being such a grouch, Edward." He said with a meaningful look as he sat me down on the stool next to the captain.

The captain's eyes narrowed at Emmett. "I'm keeping her safe."

"Whatever you say, mate." Emmett sat down next to me, eyeing the captain's mug greedily. "Can I have the rest of your rum?"

The captain rolled his eyes and pushed the mug across the counter towards him.

Emmett grinned at him and I stared in shock as he swigged the entire mug down in one gulp, slamming it down on the counter when he was finished.

He let out a loud sigh and wiped his mouth. "We're gonna need more."

"None for me." Alice grimaced from Jasper's lap.

I laughed at her expression as Jasper grinned at her. "Last time still fresh in your mind, eh, love?" He asked.

Alice scowled at him, crossing her arms across her chest.

Emmett laughed and shook his head. "Alright, none for you." He agreed. He turned towards the man behind the bar and ordered two mugs of rum.

"Two, Emmett?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you finish one first?"

Though I had no doubt that Emmett could finish one with relative ease, I didn't think it would be prudent for him to drink two mugs of rum in as quick succession as I suspected he would.

Emmett smirked at me. "One's for me. The other one's for you."

My eyes widened. "What? No, I-I don't want-,"

"Just try it, Bella." Emmett begged as he pushed a mug in to my hands.

I stared at the amber-colored liquid in the mug, my heart quickening in my chest.

I could feel the gaze of the captain on me as I slowly raised the heavy mug to my lips.

I took a deep breath and tilted it in to my mouth. The liquid flowed in to my mouth and I quickly slammed the mug back down on the counter.

I coughed violently, clutching my mouth as though that would somehow take away the bitter taste that was left. I grimaced, feeling the sting in my throat.

"That's revolting." I croaked, scrunching up my face.

Emmett bit his lip, clearly trying to hold back his laugh as he rubbed my back with his huge hand. "Don't worry about it. The first sip is always the worst. You'll get used to it."

My eyes widened and I shook my head. "I don't know if I want to."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the captain smirk at me. "Rum isn't for women." He said condescendingly.

My head turned sharply towards him and my eyes narrowed in a glare. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He let out a short, dark laugh. "Don't worry, love, no one expects a _woman_ to down a mug of rum."

His eyes flashed with humor as he took in my furious expression.

He was clearly provoking me.

I huffed, sitting up straight. I stared determinedly at the rum that was still at the brim of the mug.

I glanced over at the captain who was staring at me curiously. I narrowed my eyes at him.

I lifted the mug and forced the horrid liquid in to my mouth. The instinct to spit it out was overwhelming but I fought to keep it in my mouth.

I kept drinking, squeezing my eyes shut to ignore the burning in my throat and mouth.

Vaguely, I could hear the chuckles of Jasper and Emmett and Alice's gasp.

The captain was as silent as ever.

I resisted the urge to grin as I downed the last few gulps of rum and set the mug down on the counter.

Emmett grinned widely at me as I regained my breath, a proud smile on my face. "Acted like a true pirate, lass."

I laughed at him and turned smugly towards the captain.

My smile froze when I saw his expression. His eyes were hooded with unmistakable desire, his gaze boring a hole through me.

As he stared at me, I couldn't seem to process anything outside the two of us.

It was as if we had been wrapped in a bubble, shielded from everyone else.

He slowly reached out, brushing his fingers across my cheek before gently wiping away a drop of rum on the edge of my lip. The tension was palpable.

I sucked in a small breath when the captain leaned forward, his hand dropping from my cheek down to my collarbone.

"Hello there." A simpering voice shattered the bubble that had been placed around us.

I gasped and pulled away from the captain, letting his hand falling back in to his lap. I swallowed as our moment came crashing down us.

I couldn't be sure but I thought I heard a growl come from the captain.

I turned to see whose voice it had been that had interrupted us and felt the fire that had died down only recently reignite in my stomach.

Two wenches stood in front of us, staring at Emmett and the captain seductively.

I may as well have been a part of the bar counter.

If I had thought that the wenches outside were scantily dressed, than the wenches in here were downright obscene.

They had simply forgone the top part of their dresses, choosing instead to flaunt their ample bosom in a tight corset.

The one standing nearest to the captain had blonde hair and wide hips that I knew men found attractive.

Her lips were painted with some sort of red paint and her cheeks were colored with a bright rouge. She batted her eyes flirtatiously at the captain, biting her lip as she did so.

She was beautiful.

I frowned.

The equally attractive brunette that had accompanied the blonde fixed her attentions on Emmett.

"We just wanted to come over and see if you handsome men would like to spend some time with us." She said, coquettishly running a finger up Emmett's arm though she directed her offer to the captain and Jasper also.

Emmett smirked at her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "Well, darling, Jasper here," He nodded to where Jasper and Alice were still smiling at each other, "Is taken, but I'd be more than happy to take you up on that."

"Oh, well, aren't I lucky?" The brunette giggled as Emmett stood up and grinned at the captain and I.

"See you in the morning." He tipped his invisible hat at us and made his way through the crowd with the brunette fastened tightly to him.

I stared after him with faint amusement.

My amusement quickly died when the blonde moved towards the captain, swaying her hips seductively.

"And what about you?" She purred, pressing her bosom up against the captain's arm.

I studied the captain's face carefully to see if he showed any sign of interest.

On the contrary, he merely looked bored.

That made me feel a little better.

He raised an eyebrow at the woman when she pressed herself against him. The look on his face that dared her to come any closer would have scared off most people.

Apparently this woman was not 'most people'.

"Oh, come on," She said, looking at him through her lashes and pouting. "I've always wanted to spend the night with a _captain_."

I glared at the woman.

Regardless of whether there was anything _actually_ going on between the captain and I, the woman should have given some value to the fact that he was sitting with a woman.

Her blonde hair and her perfect hips were making me feel strangely violent, and I huffed angrily.

As I looked away from the woman, my eyes found the captain's. He was looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

I narrowed my eyes at him and looked away from the both of them.

_How dare he find my anger amusing?_

I rested my arms on the bar counter and drummed my fingers impatiently on the counter, waiting for the wench to just _leave_.

The captain obviously didn't want her. Couldn't she take the hint?

"I don't know," I froze when I heard the captain speak. "Do you think you're worth a whole night?"

My head whipped towards them. The captain was smirking at the blonde wench, making no move to push her away.

The blonde wench smiled widely, clearly ecstatic that he was taking an interest. "Maybe you'll have to find out." She licked her lips.

I gaped at them.

_What was he doing?_

Was he actually going to take this wench? Alice said that he didn't wench anymore!

"How much for a night?" The captain asked, reaching out to trail a finger down the side of her round hips.

_That's _it!

I pushed my stool away from the counter, the resulting sound jerking the captain and his..._friend_ out of their little banter.

Furiously avoiding the gaze of the captain that I just _knew_ was on me, I turned to Jasper and Alice.

"I'm going back to the ship." I informed them, not bothering to wait for a reply as I shoved past the blonde and made my way through the crowd in the building.

"I've had enough entertainment for one night." I muttered to myself as I exited the building and was met with the cool air of the night once more.

I shoved past the people on the crowded streets, my anger becoming my fuel.

I muttered angrily to myself as I folded my arms across my chest.

_Did he think that just because he was the _captain_ he could take a different woman every night?_

I huffed and came to a stop where the streets were less crowded. The dock was straight ahead, and _Twilight_ was bobbing proudly in the water.

I glanced around me, freezing when I saw a couple of men huddled not too far away from me.

Their shirts were torn and dirty, hanging limply off of them. They were unshaven and messy; the type of people that my Mother would call 'trash'.

They were all laughing loudly, clearly having drank one too many mugs of rum. One of them glanced over at me and smiled widely, nudging the others.

My anger faded quickly, replaced by fear when I realized how reckless I had been to leave the bar alone.

_Walking these streets alone at night? What were you thinking, Bella?_

They sneered at me, though they made no move towards me. They were seemingly content to merely stare at me from afar.

Either that or they were to inebriated to move.

However I had no doubt that if I attempted to pass them, they would give me trouble.

I took a tentative step backwards, unable to break eye-contact with them.

My brows furrowed when their eyes suddenly widened with fear, no longer looking at me but rather behind me.

I gasped when I felt a warm hand at the small of my back, pushing me forwards.

My jaw dropped as the captain suddenly appeared beside me, placing himself firmly between the men and me.

A muscle was twitching in his jaw and his eyes were narrowed at them.

_He'd left the wench?_

Though I knew it was ridiculous, I couldn't help but feel a little pleased that he had left the beautiful, blonde-haired woman.

"Move." He muttered in my ear.

But I couldn't.

My feet seemed to be frozen in place. He glanced down at me and rolled his eyes, sighing as he pushed me forwards.

The men had grown silent - a huge contrast from their raucous nature mere seconds before - and were staring at the tall captain in fear.

As we passed them, the captain's hand moved from the small of my back to my waist, pulling me tighter against his side.

He shot them a cold glare, his hand flitting to the helm of his sword, but not actually pulling it out.

The captain pulled me along towards where _Twilight_ was anchored, his silence just as intimidating as his threats.

We were far away from the crowds and endless chatter that was present next to the bar, the air now calm and gentle.

However the calm air did nothing to soothe my anger that was resurfacing from before. Why had he left the blonde woman?

He couldn't just switch between her and me when he pleased!

When we made it to the dock, I pulled away from his grip and turned to face him with a glare.

He raised an eyebrow at me as I crossed my arms against my chest. "Shouldn't you be with your wench?" I spat.

He watched me closely with amusement clear on his face. "Oh, you mean Tanya?"

I felt heat rush to my face in anger.

_He knew her _name_?_

"Yes. _Her._ Go back to your woman. I can make it to the ship on my own." I growled, turning on my heel and walking towards _Twilight_.

I shrieked, the ground slipping from under my feet as two firm hands hoisted me up and over the captain's shoulder.

I gaped for a second, my face now buried in the captain's back before I realized what was happening and writhed in his grip.

"What are you doing?" I shouted. "Let me go!"

I pounded furiously on his back, unfortunately not doing much damage to his brawny body.

He merely chuckled, holding my thrashing legs down with his arm.

"Shut up." He advised as he strode up the plank and on to the deck of the ship.

He finally pulled me off of his shoulder and set me on the ground, holding me steady while I struggled to regain balance. He smirked as I pushed away from him, sputtering.

"Have you lost your mind?" I asked finally, unable to keep the shock out of my voice.

"You were jealous." He said simply, that condescending smirk still plastered across his face.

My jaw dropped. "_Jealous_?" I let out a derisive laugh that unfortunately came out as rather hysterical. "I wasn't-I mean, I would never be _jealous_ of some-,"

His lips came down to press against mine before I could get out another word.

I stared at him wide-eyed for a second before my eyes began to flutter shut of their own accord.

Despite my anger and despite my supposed 'jealousy' I couldn't deny the rush of feelings that enveloped me when the captain and I touched.

His hands enveloped my waist, holding me closely to him as though he were afraid I would run if he didn't. Though I couldn't imagine the captain being afraid of anything.

I let out a soft sigh at the feeling of his lips against mine, my hands moving up his arms to rest on his shoulders. The captain slowly pushed his tongue in to my mouth where I hesitantly allowed it to touch my own.

I ran my fingers through the small hairs at the base of his neck as he did the same for me.

His hands ran along the length of my braid before tugging at the tie holding my hair together, weaving his fingers through my now loose hair.

I pulled away slightly, breathing heavily. "The crew." I whispered. "What if they see us?"

He merely gripped the back of my head, pulling my lips back to his. "They won't be back until tomorrow." He murmured. "No one's here but us."

That was all the assurance I needed.

I met his lips again, allowing him to take control of my mouth.

He walked me backwards slowly, making sure that our lips never left each others. I held on to him tightly, trusting him to make sure I didn't fall.

I exhaled softly as my back hit something solid.

I broke the kiss briefly, looking behind me to see that he had pushed me in to the wall next to the stairs that led below deck.

He took my hand. "Come with me." He ordered, pulling me down the stairs. The minute I had made it down the stairs, he grabbed my face in his hands, pressing his lips to mine once again.

I felt goosebumps rise along my arms at the feeling of his calloused, yet ever-gentle hands cupping my cheeks.

He pushed my hair off my shoulders and tucked a few stray locks behind my ears, finally pulling back and looking at me.

I let out a small moan, protesting the loss of contact, but he held my face firmly away from his.

He smiled slightly at me.

My arms were caught in between us, the muscle of his chest and abdomen pressed intimately against my flesh.

"I like that you were jealous." He said quietly, fingering a lock of my hair between his thumb and forefinger.

It seemed he had a strange fascination with my hair.

I blushed, looking down at where my hands were splayed across his chest. "I wasn't jealous." I mumbled petulantly.

His chest vibrated under my hands as he laughed softly at me. "Yes, you were."

I scowled half-heartedly up at him and he smirked at me.

"It's late," He said, sliding his hands down my arms so that he could hold my waist as he leaned against the wall. "You should be in bed."

I frowned. "I'm not a child. I can go to bed when I want."

He smiled crookedly at me. "But you forget. _I'm_ your captain. And I'm telling you to go to bed."

I raised an eyebrow at him, refusing to back down when he matched my gaze.

"I'll come with you." He bargained with a grin. "Tuck you in."

I couldn't hold back the small smile that tugged at my lips.

"_Good_." He murmured, pecking my lips. Mistaking my smile for acceptance, he grabbed my hand and led me down the corridors towards my room.

"Wait! I never said that I agreed!" I said, hurrying to keep up with his much longer strides.

"I know." He said simply.

He pushed open the door to my room and pulled me inside, letting me go beside the bed.

"But...I don't want to go to bed." I argued - admittedly childishly.

He rolled his eyes and nodded towards the bed. "Just go to sleep, Isabella."

I felt thrill surge through me when he said my name - not Miss Swan - _Isabella_.

Pushing down my girlish feelings I pushed aside the covers, grumbling as I sat down on the bed, tucking my legs underneath me.

I looked up to see him still watching me, arms crossed against his chest.

I blushed.

_He wasn't actually planning on tucking me in, was he?_

I had never been tucked in before - not even by my own Mother. Thankfully, instead of tucking me in, he merely stared at me.

When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. "You should have pushed me away. An engaged woman shouldn't go kissing other men, should she?"

I froze, staring at him in shock. Had he truly said that? The way he had looked at me when we had kissed…I thought that something had finally changed…

Now he brought up _that_?

He quirked an eyebrow at me, waiting for my reply.

I swallowed and finally responded. "No, an engaged woman should not go kissing other men." I looked up at him firmly. "But I'm _not_ engaged."

He let out a humorless chuckle. "Lord Black seems to think otherwise."

I let out a disgusted huff. "Lord Black is a _pig_."

"Nevertheless a pig that will find you one day and claim you as his." The captain snapped, his voice suddenly sharp.

His eyes were suddenly angry as he dropped his arms to his sides. I was shocked to see his hands clenched in to fists.

"H-he," I stuttered, knowing that the captain spoke the truth. "He will not find me." I lied bravely.

The captain scoffed. "Please, Miss Swan. You can surely not be so foolish as to think that he will simply give you up."

"I will run." I said, though my confidence was wavering.

"And he will find you." The captain finished. "Let's not play this game." He gestured between us and I knew he was referring to the kiss that we'd shared.

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "What…what do you mean?"

"I don't think that your fiancé will like knowing that you've had experience with another man very much." His voice was dripping with sarcasm and his eyes were still angry.

"He's not my fiancé!" I shouted, now on the verge of tears.

His words were like knives cutting in to me.

"Do you know why pirates have wenches, Miss Swan?" He asked quietly, taking a step forward.

He didn't wait for me to respond.

"Because all they take is your money."

He turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him, the dull sound echoing through the room and causing me to jump.

~•~

**EPOV:**

I shut my eyes tightly as I left her room, knowing that I had quite possibly ended what had barely started.

I strode quickly through the corridors, fighting the urge to turn back and kiss her again. This had to be done.

There was no point in starting something that wouldn't end nicely.

That bastard Black would come and take her away eventually. And I intended to give her back to him with no regrets.

I grit my teeth as I stopped mid-stride in the middle of the corridor, my hands clenching tightly in to fists.

Black wasn't the only thing holding me back from kissing her again.

I was _this close_ to getting my revenge. I didn't need any distractions.

Especially not ones that came in the form of a feisty, beautiful, brunette whose fiancé was looking for her.

After all, pirates didn't fall in love.

**AN: Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all liked the update! I'm sorry for ending it on such an angsty note, but there were issues that needed to be discussed between the two and this chapter put them all in the open. Don't worry, happy times are coming for the couple! And I think that those of you that are pulling for them to get together will like the next chapter… ;)**

**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed! You are all so extremely wonderful, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart: whisperwind1886, krmyers10, Amber D, SarahCullenxxx, m0t0b33, Dan-Dan10, isabel, KhristenHartgrove, ratih choco, draconerd, deranged-dreamer, shaz308, dipsydoodle, haylee21, Elana86, MissFictionJunkieUnknown, Mandita 93, Girl-on-moon, bc, cullenchanel, Mz-Star, gothgirl1245, xrissyjax, Valentine Rain, cbmorefie, The-Major's-Lieutenant, stephi910, LadyTx, Ooohlala17, vampires -edward96, amberkey, ShadesofPaIe, Night script, suzy 2010, SempreLove, DodgerMcClure, MaryMary123, LuckiLuci, robsmom, Nisa-Cullen, Love2readgirl, alc219, abbydog26**

**I can't express how thrilled I am that people are actually enjoying my story. I am so extremely flattered whenever I log on to this website, and it warms my heart to see how supportive all of you are. THANK YOU!**

**And last, but certainly not least: my deepest condolences to all those who were involved one way or another in the Connecticut shooting. I know that it happened a while ago, but the pain, unfortunately, does not pass as fast as time does. Connecticut being my hometown, I honestly cannot describe with any amount of accuracy the pain I felt when hearing what happened. In this New Year, I hope and pray that hate dies and love survives. **

**M-J**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

**BPOV:**

Something was digging severely in to my tear-stained cheeks.

The realization brought me slowly back from my restless dreams. I became aware of the numbness in the hand I was lying on and the feeling of the sheets that lay uselessly at my feet.

I let out a small sigh, my eyes still closed before slowly opening them against the faint, blue-tinged sunlight filtering in through the small window in the room.

It was still fairly early.

A strong, emotional fatigue was practically sitting on my chest and refusing to allow me to sit up.

There was a part of me that wanted to pretend to be oblivious to the _cause_ of that emotional fatigue. However the ache in my heart wouldn't let it.

Those words, so easily spoken by the captain, were digging a hole in my chest.

Sleep, I'd prayed would be a cure. On the contrary, it just reinforced the pain in my subconscious.

_'Let's not play this game.'_

Had we been playing a game?

I had been so foolish…so naïve in a way that I would have never thought possible.

How could I have expected romance and emotion from a pirate?

People would scoff.

Why would a girl, forsaking extravagant displays of affection from the most eligible Lords in the country, instead seek a fairy tale with a pirate captain?

I exhaled slowly and shook my head as though that would ward off these unwanted thoughts. I knew that if I had the energy to cry, I would.

But it seemed that after yesterday, my eyes had shed all the water they could. I had no doubt that my eyes would be red and puffy today.

_Wonderful._

I pushed myself up in to a sitting position, wincing as sharp, pricking sensations shot through my arm as a result of sleeping on it all night.

Rubbing my arm gently, I ran my hand from the middle of my forearm down to my wrist.

I froze when solid stone met my fingers instead of the flesh of my arm.

My head shot towards my wrist, my eyes widening when I saw emerald green set in silver. A bracelet lay on my wrist in anti-climatic innocuousness, unaware of the pounding in my heart.

It was the bracelet.

The bracelet that the little girl had been selling yesterday on the streets. The one I had wanted so badly.

Raising it up to my wide eyes, I stared at it in disbelief.

My fingers ran over every inch of it as if to make sure it was real and not a figment of my admittedly over-active imagination.

Fingering the clasp, my brows furrowed. "I _know_ I didn't buy it yesterday." I murmured to myself.

How, then, was it here and on my wrist?

Curiosity and determination rushed through me as I threw aside the covers, making my way over to the mirror.

Just as I had suspected, my eyes were still slightly red, my eyelashes holding traces of tears from last night. I dunked a washcloth in to the bucket at my feet and placed the soaked cloth over my eyes.

After rubbing at my face and taking away the evidence of my tears, I fixed my messy hair in a braid and rushed out the door.

I slowed my run to a fast walk as I strode through the hallways, registering through my curiosity that most of the crew were still asleep.

It was taking everything I had not to rush through the corridors like I had the Royal Guards chasing me. When I finally made it to the deck, I realized exactly _how early_ it was.

The sun had yet to break through the blue of the dawn and there was an eerie silence surrounding the usually noisy town.

I hurried down the wooden beam and on to the docks, finally breaking out in to a sprint when I hit the roads.

I had to find the little girl. She would be able to tell me who bought it from her.

There were very few people on the streets. The few that were there were lazily putting up their stalls, apparently to sleepy to even attempt to sell me anything.

I let out a small groan of frustration when I failed to spot the small girl.

What were the chances that she were even out here?

The early morning chill spread goosebumps across my arms as I walked further down the road.

She had to be here…

A flash of light brown hair struck the corner of my eye and I turned towards a half-erect stall.

I sucked in a quick breath when I realized it was the girl from yesterday. She was slowly inching behind the stall, her eyes downcast as though she were trying to hide.

I sighed in relief and walked quickly towards her. Her eyes widened when she saw me and she quickly backed away, nearly stumbling over her own feet in the process.

I reached out swiftly and grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. I was stunned at how thin the arm in my grip was.

I frowned and eyed the frightened girl in my grip, noting with indignation the sunken nature of her cheeks and the dress that hung off of her gaunt body.

I knelt down next to her.

"Hello." I smiled softly at her, doing my best not to startle her. "My name is Bella."

She merely stared up at me with petrified eyes.

I took a deep breath. "You see this bracelet?" I raised my wrist up to show her. Her eyes widened and I knew she recognized it. "Do you remember who bought it from you?"

She hesitated, clearly unsure of whether she should be talking to me.

"It's okay," I soothed, taking her tiny hand in mine. "I won't hurt you. Do you trust me?"

She glanced up at me, her eyes flitting between mine. She nodded slowly. I had a feeling that she didn't truly trust me, but I let it pass.

I smiled. "I need to know who bought this bracelet. Can you tell me?" I asked her gently.

"I-I don't know the name." She replied, flinching as though I might strike her for not knowing.

Her voice was tiny just like her and filled with fear, just like her expression. Her innocence had already endeared her to me.

"That's okay." I shrugged casually to let her know I didn't hold her at fault.

She stared up at me dubiously as though doubting my sincerity, causing me to wonder exactly what sort of atrocities this little girl had been subjected to.

"It's fine, really." I emphasized. "Maybe...maybe you can describe her? The person who bought it from you?"

"Him."

"I'm sorry?"

"Him." She repeated, her voice still fragile, but growing in confidence. "The person who bought the bracelet was a man."

My brows furrowed. "A man?"

She nodded.

"Very well, can you describe this man?" I asked, swallowing as I grew nervous for some odd reason.

She sucked her already torn lip in to her mouth as she thought. Her eyebrows pulled together as she spoke. "He was big and tall." She said softly. "He had green eyes, and...he had weird hair."

Even in my curiosity I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips. The little girl smiled a little, my laughter evidently putting her more at ease.

"What do you mean, 'weird'?" I asked her, grinning.

"It was messy," She said, nodding to herself. "And it was a strange color; brown, but red too."

I felt my smile begin to fade. These descriptions only fit one person that I knew.

But it couldn't have been him.

Especially not now. Not when the captain's sharp words were still ringing cruelly in my ears. I swallowed and forced my smile back as I turned to the girl.

"Did he...have a sword?" I asked meekly, silently praying that she would say 'no'. However, I couldn't deny the small part of me that acknowledged the possibility of the bracelet being courtesy of the very man that had pushed me away yesterday.

The little girl nodded immediately and my heart sank.

"People seemed to be scared of him," She said quietly, her brows pulling together as she recalled the man. "I think it was because his sword was so sharp."

I bit my lip to hold back my amusement at her simple logic.

_Oh, how I wished _that_ was the reason people were scared of him._

I sat back on my ankles, inadvertently thinking back to yesterday in the bar and the wide berth people left between themselves and the bronze-haired man.

I closed my eyes. It couldn't be him. It just couldn't.

When I opened my eyes, I smiled at the little girl who was watching me curiously. "Thank you." I said, placing a hand on her fragile cheek.

She smiled tentatively back at me.

I pushed off of the balls of my feet and stood up, glancing around me. A light, tinkling sound filled my ears, drawing my gaze towards a small shop a few feet down the road.

The door opened and a tall man stepped out, casually tucking his sword in to its sheath.

His bronze hair glinted in the sun.

My eyes widened as the piercing emerald eyes of the captain swept the streets. I quickly ducked inside the small gape between two buildings, my heart pounding in my chest.

The captain's narrowed eyes brushed the spot where I had stood mere seconds ago, but didn't linger. I breathed a sigh of relief as he turned around.

My brows furrowed when he strode down the streets..._away_ from the ship and further in to the town.

_Where is he going?_

"Miss, Miss!"

I felt something yank at my finger and looked down to see the little girl that I had just talked to tugging impatiently at my hand.

"That's him!" She said with wide-eyes, her free hand pointing to the captain's retreating back. "He's the one that bought the bracelet!"

My heart thumped loudly in my chest and began to race as I stared after the captain in shock.

My suspicion was confirmed.

He'd bought the bracelet. _Why_, though? Why had he bought the bracelet for me after dismissing me so abruptly yesterday?

I frowned as further questions assaulted me. How had he even known that I'd wanted it? Had he...been following me?

I exhaled at the revelation and glanced down at the small girl and smiled at her. "Thank you." I said again, squeezing her hand. She nodded at me.

Without fully acknowledging the risks that came with what I was doing, I stepped out from the gap and hurried across the street.

_He'd_ followed me. How could he find fault with me when I was simply returning the favor?

The captain was much farther ahead on the streets - fortunate, as I needed to remain out of sight. I paused in front of the shop that he'd exited from, glancing up at the sign.

_Swords & Daggers Since 1720_, it read in peeling, gold lettering.

Well, that wasn't very shocking. There were several valid reasons that a pirate captain could have business in a shop that sold weapons.

But before sunrise? What was so secretive to the captain that he would have to hide it from his own crew?

I bit my lip as my hand slowly reached out to the doorknob.

I took a deep breath and turned the knob, opening the door. I was rewarded with the same tinkling sound that had echoed when the captain had exited the shop.

I slowly stepped in to the shop and closed the door behind me.

The shop was old, that was clear. The wood beneath my feet creaked as I stepped on them. I could hardly see anything in the darkness of the shop.

Squinting, I was able to spot a large counter a few feet ahead.

I walked forwards, wincing as the creaks of the wood echoed my footsteps. I placed my hand on the counter and cleared my throat.

"Hello?" I called in to the silence.

"Yes?"

I jumped as a man came through a door to my left that I hadn't seen before. I struggled to regain my breath as I smiled politely at him.

He was a fairly tall, middle-aged man, dressed in dark trousers and a cream-colored shirt. Suspenders hung off his slightly hunched, but broad shoulders.

His eyes were a light blue - slightly hidden by the wire-rimmed glasses framing his face - and contrasted pleasantly with his sandy-brown hair. A small, almost knowing smile lingered on his face as he observed me.

"I…" I paused, not knowing exactly what to say.

I bit my lip nervously as he waited patiently for me to speak. What was I thinking? That I could just come in here and ask me about a patron of his?

The man chuckled at my hesitation. "You must be Isabella." He said, walking behind the counter.

My eyes widened and I gaped at him as he took out a small wooden case nonchalantly. How did he...?

"Y-you know my name." I managed, albeit my words coming out choked.

He smiled at me. "Yes, Edward has told me much about you." He chortled to himself as he flicked open the latches on the box and lifted the lid. "Of course, not without significant persuasion."

_The captain. So, he'd told this man about me, had he?_

I swallowed as the man ducked under the counter briefly before re-emerging with a bottle of polish and a small rag.

"If you don't mind my asking…what did he say about me?" I asked him.

The man's smile widened. "Oh no, my dear. That's a question you must ask him, yourself."

I frowned, disappointment filling me.

The man continued on, oblivious to - or uncaring - of my frustration. "My name is Peter. By what Edward's told me about you so far, I had a feeling I'd be seeing you soon." He said casually.

My eyes widened as he reached in to the wooden case and pulled out a long dagger.

Opening the bottle of polish, he dabbed some in to the rag and proceeded to rub down the ornate handle. He paused and glanced at me over the rim of his glasses.

"Well? You came in here to ask about him, didn't you?"

I blushed furiously, beyond mortified that he had figured me out in seconds, while I still couldn't make out heads or tails of what was happening.

He laughed again and continued wiping the dagger. "Don't worry, Isabella. I'm not nearly as smart as this encounter is making me seem."

I highly doubted that as he had once again read my thoughts.

"I apologize." I said, bowing my head slightly. He stopped what he was doing once more and looked at me, brows furrowed.

"I shouldn't have disturbed you. I'm not sure what I was thinking, coming in here." I admitted.

"Nonsense!" Peter exclaimed, startling me.

He set the dagger down on the wood counter and peered at me. "I already liked you when Edward was talking about you. You have my son in a right fix, you know!"

"_Son?_"

This man was the captain's _father_?

"He's _like_ my son, anyway." Peter said, dismissing my unasked questions with a flick of his wrist.

There was an unmistakable hint of pride in his voice.

I hesitated, glancing up at him. He _did_ know that his pseudo-son was a pirate, didn't he?

"How...how do you know him?" I asked slowly. He had just begun to reveal a little about the captain.

I had to make sure that I didn't push too far and cause him to stop.

Luckily, Peter went back to polishing the dagger, looking quite at ease.

"His Father was an old family friend." He replied. "It's not easy letting him go back to the sea, not knowing when I'll see him again. But Edward makes sure to visit me whenever he comes to town."

Hmph. So he _did_ know he was a pirate.

I frowned, remembering the words of that woman I'd met when I went to the market with Eric.

_'Killed his own Father, you know?'_

I glanced up at Peter. He obviously held the captain in the highest regard. Should I…?

I cleared my throat. "There are rumors about him…" I began, forcing my tone to be as cavalier as possible.

His eyes flickered to me briefly before he focused his attention back on the dagger. He remained silent.

"There are rumors about him…and his Father." I clarified, trying to get his attention.

He chuckled at this. "Oh, yes. I've heard the infamous '_evil pirate kills his own Father_' rumor."

I raised an eyebrow. "Rumor? So it isn't true?"

He exhaled softly and set down the dagger, looking up at me. "Isabella, there are some things in this world that people simply refuse to believe. They don't care what the truth is, or what it might mean for a young man's life. They only care about what's easier to understand, or to accept."

My brows furrowed as I looked at him.

He suddenly looked very tired and aged. It was as though my question had sapped him of all his energy.

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and raised an eyebrow at me. "Now, what's my assurance that you will believe what I say?" He asked.

I swallowed and met his gaze unflinchingly. "I think that the captain's a good man." I said firmly, surprised at the sincerity in my words. "I…I trust him."

I _do_ trust him. I just need to figure out who he is and what I mean to him.

What kind of man refuses a woman one minute and buys her jewelry the next?

Peter smiled widely at me, evidently pleased with my answer. "He's chosen a fine woman to have aboard his ship. Along with Alice, of course."

So he knew about Alice, too? I gaped up at him.

_Who _was_ this man?_

He laughed at my baffled look. "Allow me to answer your first question. Edward never killed his Father. No, he loved his Father and Mother more than anything in the world."

_Loved_.

"So…they're both dead?" I asked softly, pity growing in my heart for the captain.

Peter nodded, squinting down at his dagger.

A thick silence filled the room, both of us caught in our own thoughts. I frowned, my eyes fixed on the edge of the wooden counter.

If the captain knew the feeling of losing someone you love, then why did he choose piracy? Why would he kill others, knowing what it could mean for their families?

Peter cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "But Edward didn't kill them." He repeated.

"They both died, though…" I muttered, working through my scrambled thoughts out loud. "How did they both die so young?"

"They were murdered." He placed his palms down on the counter and swallowed slowly.

My eyes shot up to meet his.

_Murdered. _So his parents had been killed and everyone had blamed _him_…

A part of me finally understood the reason for his bitterness and lack of faith in humanity. Why trust those who had shunned him over a crime he hadn't committed?

"But…how? Who killed them?" I asked softly.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you that."

Disappointment washed over me and I frowned. I glanced around me, suddenly remembering where I was and what had brought me here.

I turned to the man with a sheepish smile.

"The captain would be furious if he knew I had talked to you," I began hesitantly. "And I have no place to go so, if you could… "

The man smiled. "Of course I won't tell him."

I grinned back at him. "Thank you."

Peter walked out from behind the counter and led me over to the door. "You better leave before he finds out you left the ship." He remarked, opening the door for me.

I smiled and held out my hand to him. "Thank you."

He took my hand gently in his, his eyes narrowing in on the bracelet on my wrist. "That's quite a bracelet." He remarked.

"Oh!" My eyes widened. "Yes, it is. I, er, I bought it a few years back and I brought it with me…"

Peter smirked at my feeble lie.

"I have a feeling we'll meet again, Miss Swan." He nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. "It was a pleasure."

I blushed. "Yes, it was nice to have met you as well." I stammered out and hastily made my way out of his shop.

I made sure I was a good hundred feet away from the shop before stopping and taking a moment to look around.

The sun was higher in the sky and I could see more and more people slowly start to filter out on to the streets. In the distance I could even see _Twilight_ bobbing steadily in the water.

I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.

Today was beginning to be one big revelation. But the revelations weren't exactly…welcome.

Quite frankly, after yesterday I didn't _want_ to think about the captain in a good light. All I could remember of him was his expressionless glare from yesterday.

I didn't understand him and his radical mood swings.

And I didn't want to, because that would mean knowing him more deeply and maybe even…_caring_ for him.

From what little I knew of pirates, I was aware that it would be a horrible idea to give my heart to someone who would never reciprocate my feelings.

Groaning deeply, I covered my face in my hands and stumbled backwards to lean against the side of a building.

_Why couldn't I just have fallen in love with Lord Black?_

I shook my head miserably. Never in a million years did I think I would wish such for something so repulsive.

And under any normal circumstances…if the captain were perhaps employed in a less…scandalous job, I would give myself to him freely.

Even under the _current_ circumstances I had not objected very much to his…er…advances. Heat rose to my face at the mere thought of his lips.

They were surprisingly soft to be owned by someone with such a callous exterior. But his wandering hands were just as rough as one would expect them to be.

Not that I had minded much.

"No!" I whispered harshly to myself, shaking my head to the point where I probably came off as a lunatic to passerby's. "Stop it, Bella!"

"Miss?" I lowered my hands from my face to look down at the little girl that I had talked to before.

Her eyes were open wide as they looked up at me. "Are you okay?" She asked hesitantly.

I was struck once again by the effect of her sweet and genuine personality.

I dropped my hands to my thighs and smiled softly at her. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

She nodded. "Did you find him? The man you were looking for?"

"Well…no, not exact-,"

"Miss Swan!" That sharp voice was unmistakable.

I closed my eyes in dread and turned around slowly to face the captain who was making his way towards us.

His jaw was set and his eyes were narrowed, promising hell to pay.

The angry look on his face reminded me of last night and suddenly I was filled with a desire for vengeance. He didn't own me. There was nothing wrong with me going off the ship.

With a confidence I hadn't known I possessed, I straightened up and smiled at him.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly.

The muscle in his jaw twitched at my mocking tone and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"What the _bloody hell_ are you doing off the ship?" He asked with gritted teeth. He was clearly exerting quite a bit of energy to keep himself calm.

I felt something brush past me and looked down to see the little girl run away from the pair of us after shooting a fearful look at the captain. She clearly recognized him as being the man who bought the bracelet from her.

I frowned after her and opened my mouth to call her back but she had already slipped in to one of the stalls that had opened in the streets.

I turned back to the captain to see him raise an eyebrow at me, waiting for my answer.

"I went out for a walk." I shrugged.

"A walk." He repeated.

"Yes."

He looked so angry for a moment that I thought for sure he was going to yell at me. Instead, he shut his eyes tightly and clenched his jaw as he struggled to regain his composure.

He glared fiercely at me when he reopened his eyes. "What did I tell you about going off on your own?" He bit out.

Something snapped within me. "I am not a servant that you can command!" I snapped, taking a step forward. "Especially not after what happened last night!"

He ignored my last comment and took a step forward himself, matching my stance. "No, you're not a servant. But you _are_ a part of my crew, and I'll command you as I please."

"Command me as much as you want, but don't you dare expect me to listen!" I spat, surprised to feel my throat tighten and tears shoot up to the corners of my eyes.

The captain's eyes narrowed. "Tread carefully, Miss Swan." He said slowly, his voice like that of velvet. "If you want to stay aboard my ship, you will accept your place as my subordinate."

It was as if none of the events of the previous days had occurred. We were back to the fighting and threats that I had grown accustomed to on my first days on the ship.

"What does it matter?" I asked, my voice losing some of its bite. "If I were out on the streets I'd probably get killed, and that would please you, wouldn't it?"

Silence fell between us as the captain stared intently at me.

His brows furrowed and his eyes scanned my face as though he were trying to read me. He cocked his head to the side.

"Now, why would you think that?"

I let out a humorless chuckle. "After all you've said, why wouldn't I?"

His eyes narrowed at the reminder of our conversation last night. He took another step closer to me.

He opened his mouth to speak when loud talking sounded behind us. His eyes snapped towards the sound and before I knew what was happening, he'd grabbed my arm and yanked me behind the building that we'd been standing in front of.

He shoved me against the wall and pressed himself tightly against me, his hands braced on either side of my head.

Air left me in a loud 'whoosh' when my back hit the wall. Gasping to recover the air I'd lost, I gaped up at him.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, squirming uncomfortably at the feeling of him pressing against me in such a compromising position.

He was staring hawk-like through the gap between the buildings, tensing when he heard the voices come closer to us.

"Be still." He ordered roughly, pressing himself even closer to me in order to halt my fidgeting. "And don't make a sound."

I inhaled sharply as his warm breath washed over me. The voices grew louder and louder until I could vaguely make out what they were saying.

_"...Where the hell is he?"_ One frustrated voice asked.

_"We'll find him,"_ The other, calmer voice said. _"He's here. I know he is."_

_"How do you propose we catch him? Even if we _do_ find him?"_ The first man asked irritably. _"Cullen's avoided the royal guard for years now."_

I gasped, my eyes shooting up the captain. His eyes flickered to me, but he gave no reply.

His grim expression told me that he'd already been aware that these men were looking for him.

"Who-,"

The captain quickly covered my mouth with his hand, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. I swallowed and nodded, pressing my lips tightly together.

He slowly lowered his hand from my mouth, the tips of his fingers brushing my bottom lip.

I exhaled softly at the tingling sensation they left, and looked up at the captain who quickly looked away from me, placing his hand back on the wall beside my head.

I could hear their footsteps get closer and closer. I tilted my head towards the gap so that I could see through it.

My heart raced frantically when the footsteps stopped mere inches from the gap.

_"This is useless."_ The first voice muttered. There was a small thump followed by a loud groan of pain from the man.

_"You either quit your whining or I present your head to the Lord along with Cullen's. Am I understood?"_ The second man spoke with a dangerous lilt to his voice.

There was a small murmur of acquiescence from the first man.

_"Good."_ Said the first man. _"We'll find him. I'm not leaving this island without him tied and shut in the cell of my ship."_

Their footsteps slowly passed by the gap and away.

Just in the way he spoke, I could see a significant difference between this man and those that had snuck on to _Twilight_ not so long ago. This man was incredibly serious. He was so determined to find the captain.

After a few seconds the captains arms relaxed around me and he took a step to the side. He leaned out of the gap to make sure that they were truly gone.

He finally stepped out of the gap and motioned for me to follow.

"We have to leave. Now." He told me, grabbing my arm just above my elbow and pulling me quickly down the streets.

"What? Why?" I demanded, struggling to keep up with his long strides.

"Your dear Uncle's sent people to to capture me and see you back safely." He sneered back at me.

I stumbled, gripping his arm at the last moment to keep myself from falling.

_Uncle Alec? No…_

I shook my head miserably.

I understood his emotions, of course. What uncle would want his niece to live with pirates?

I glanced up at the captain who looked beyond furious. Would he hunt down my Uncle?

"He…he's only looking out for me. He's my Uncle, after all." I said hesitantly.

He rolled his eyes. "A whole lot of good his love's doing us." He muttered.

He pushed me in front of him as we walked up the wooden dock towards _Twilight_, which was bobbing mere feet away. He glanced behind to make sure no one was following us.

"Quickly." He murmured in my ear as he pushed me up the plank and on to the deck of the ship.

I scowled at him and his forceful hands, but reluctantly allowed it as he jumped on to the deck next to me. He glanced around, spotting Jasper a few feet away.

Jasper was staring at us wide-eyed, clearly wondering what the captain and I had been doing off the ship so early.

"What-," He began, his brows furrowed.

"We need to leave." The captain interrupted, striding swiftly towards him. "They know we're here. I won't risk them finding us."

Jasper's jaw dropped. "What? _How?_" He demanded.

"They've been tracking us. I should have known." The captain shook his head, as though disgusted at his lack of foresight.

"But…wouldn't it make more sense to just finish them off here?" Jasper asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing at the captain. "When have you ever been the one to back down from a fight?"

I walked quietly towards them, hoping my presence may go unnoticed, but at the same time wanting to hear more.

The captain glared at him. "We can't afford to draw attention to ourselves. Now, of all times, we must go unnoticed. I _will not_ let him find us before we find him."

The way he said 'him' told me that he was no longer talking about the men we'd heard mere minutes ago. Bewildered, I glanced over at Jasper to see if he was as confused as I was.

On the contrary, his face filled with understanding and he nodded.

"We'll leave by the hour." Jasper nodded firmly. As he walked by me he shot me a small smile. "Good morning, Bella."

"Good morning, Jasper."

The captain slowly turned towards me when Jasper left. He stared at me silently, the tension slowly leaving his body as he crossed his arms across his chest.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Would you mind telling me what you were really doing off the ship so early?" He asked me.

I glanced down at the pretty bracelet that was still tied to my wrist. I narrowed my eyes at him. "So interesting that you should ask that. I left so that I could find out who'd bought me this bracelet."

The captain's eyes flickered down to the bracelet before he looked back up at me with a leveled stare. He knew that I'd found out.

Nevertheless, he cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Well, did you find out?"

"I did, actually."

"And?"

I exhaled softly at his intense expression. He'd been so surprisingly gentle last night, and after my conversation with Peter today, I knew that he wasn't a bad person.

_Why did he insist on acting like it?_

He may have been intent on pushing me away and pretending that nothing had occurred between us, but _he'd_ started this. He'd kissed me first and he'd been the one to kiss me every time after that. No matter what he did, he couldn't pretend that he didn't care for me…even a little.

Last night, I had been so positive that I would get him to admit it, but then he'd retreated in to his cold hard shell. I wanted - no, I _needed_ to make him not push me away.

"Why did you say that last night?" I asked him suddenly.

"Why did I say what?" He asked, still maintaining his nonchalant facade.

"You know what you said. You said that Lord Black will find me. No matter how much I run."

His expression hardened. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

He merely stared at me, not bothering to reply. I frowned and ran my hand along my arm till my fingers hit the cold metal of the bracelet.

The bracelet _he_ had bought.

"I don't believe that you'll just give me over to him." I said confidently, meeting his stare.

He raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"You gave me this." I raised the bracelet up so that he could see.

He chuckled. "Miss Swan, I do hope that jewelry is not all it takes to win your trust."

"It is not!" I cried, indignantly.

He merely smirked at me.

I forced myself to calm down. "All I know is that a man who doesn't care about a woman wouldn't be bothered to buy something for her."

The captain shrugged. "If that's what you think."

"It's what I know." I corrected. I sighed and shook my head when he made no move to respond. "You've had so many chances to be rid of me. As a matter of fact, you still do. If you send me off the ship now, those men will find me and I'll be out of your hair. Why do you keep me here if you've already predicted my demise?"

"Marriage is not demise." The captain rolled his eyes, walking towards me.

"Marriage to Lord Black is."

He smirked at that. "I said that Lord Black would find you. And he will. But I said nothing about me speeding up the process."

He pushed past me and strode down the stairs before I could say anything. I huffed indignantly.

Once again, he'd managed to avoid saying the one thing I'd wanted to hear the most. I glared after him.

_He _would_ say it._

~•~

"I never even see you anymore." Alice said, spooning some porridge in to her mouth.

"What are you on about?" I laughed. "You spent all of yesterday with me."

Alice pouted. "But then you went to sleep early in the night."

"You were with Jasper." I pointed out.

"You could have stayed with us!" She argued, jabbing her spoon in my direction.

I rolled my eyes and took a small bite of my own porridge. I let it rest patiently on my tongue and soften before I swallowed it.

After so long on the ship, I'd grown accustomed to its…different taste. I winced as it scraped down my throat. Or at least learned to eat it without complaint.

We'd set off from the port roughly an hour ago. Alice had woken up right when we were pushing away from the dock and was very upset that we were leaving so soon.

Apparently she'd wanted to explore a little more in the town that one could cover by foot in about an hour.

But I must admit that I was somewhat saddened as well. It'd felt nice to be on land again…and the port had been so colorful and lively. It was fascinating.

It was what I'd thought life would be like when I ran away from home.

Thinking back, I realized what a turn my life had taken. I'd been shoved off of the mundane path of the rich and thrown in to a world of thieves, bandits, and murderers.

And still I preferred the life I was living now. It was funny how I'd turned my back so easily on what many of these people could never dream of.

I set my spoon back in my bowl and looked up at Alice. "Have you ever thought that I was stupid for running away from home?"

Surprised, she frowned at me. She chewed slowly as she studied me. "Maybe a little." She admitted. "It's not that I thought you were…dumb. I just couldn't understand why you would leave."

I smiled softly and leaned back in my chair. "Did Jasper tell you why we had to leave port so quickly?"

Alice frowned and shook her head.

"It's because my Uncle sent men to capture the captain and bring me back." I told her.

Alice's eyes widened. "Your Uncle?"

I nodded. "I guess he doesn't understand why I would leave either." I frowned and thought back to the night I left. I _knew_ he'd seen me. He'd let me leave.

Perhaps he was just disappointed that I hadn't had the sense to stay off a pirate ship.

_Anywhere's better than in the arms of Lord Black_.

He'd practically bought me from my parents. Did he think that would…endear me to him?

Lord Black had marred my opinion on romance and love altogether. I had thought that I would simply never be privy to it.

What, with my Mother's overbearing nature and my Father's underground dealings, it was hardly possible for me to keep a friend, let alone a lover.

I was broken from my thoughts when Alice placed her hand on top of mine and fixed me with a sympathetic stare. "Just because people don't understand doesn't mean it's wrong, Bella."

I shot her a wry smile. "Of course, how could it? I'm only accompanying the most feared pirate captain on the seven seas and turning a blind eye to his indiscretions…"

Alice laughed. "Well, everything sounds bad when you put it like that." She joked before turning serious once more. "Honestly, Bella, do you regret running away from home? Even a little?"

I shook my head slowly.

"Then don't trouble yourself with these thoughts." Alice nodded firmly. "Don't ever regret your actions because you're afraid of what others may think."

I chuckled softly.

Alice may not have known it, but her advice applied to more than one aspect in my life. I couldn't deny that a part of me was…afraid of people finding out about what the captain and I had done.

I don't think that I'd even fully acknowledged that I was…kissing him. Back home, something like that would have permanently shunned a lady from reputable society.

"Come on," Alice urged, suddenly on her feet and tugging at my arm. "It's a sunny morning and we're back on the seas. Let's sit on the deck."

I laughed at her enthusiasm and allowed her to pull me up. She dragged me out of the galleys and in to the hallway.

"Hold on," I said, halting. "Let me wash up a little bit. You go ahead, I'll meet you on the deck." I promised.

Alice stared at me suspiciously. "You will come, won't you?"

"Yes." I laughed. "Go, Alice. I'll be there, I promise."

She reluctantly went ahead of me, glancing behind her back every five seconds.

I rolled my eyes at her suspicion and turned to go to my room. I stepped forward and ran right in to a hard chest.

The toe of my shoe caught on one of the nails and I felt myself falling backwards. Out of nowhere an arm shot out and wrapped around my waist, yanking me back upright.

"I'm so sorry," I stuttered, beyond embarrassed at my clumsiness. "I didn't see-,"

A glance upwards showed me that the man who had caught me was none other than the captain. He looked incredibly amused with a condescending smirk on his face.

My eyes narrowed. "_You._"

He stifled a laugh. "Me." He responded solemnly.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, wiggling to get out of the grip he had on my waist. His arm didn't budge.

He glanced around him. "I was going to go up to _my_ deck on _my_ ship. I apologize, I didn't know that was against _my_ rules."

I scowled at him, uncomfortably aware of how closely our bodies were pressed together. "Are you going to let me go, or not?"

He sighed. "You see I would, if I were not so sure that you would fall again the minute I let you go."

"Well if I do, I'll be sure to maim you in anyway possible before I go down." I grit my teeth, pushing at his strong arm and its vice-like grip on my waist.

He laughed briefly before his eyes grew serious and his grip tightened further. He lowered his lips to my ear. "I must admit, something you said this morning has been annoying me deeply."

I didn't respond, the hand that I had placed on his arm to pry it off me now clutching at him to stay upright.

"Do you really think that it would please me to see you killed?" He asked silkily.

My brows furrowed and I felt his other hand gently brush a lock of hair from my cheek, tucking it behind my ear.

"I…I don't know." I stuttered lamely.

He pulled back slightly and looked down at me. "It's like you said, isn't it? I've kept you on this ship for this long. What's the point of tossing you to the wolves now?"

He slowly pulled his arm from around my waist and made sure that my feet were planted firmly on the ground.

And for the second time that day, he brushed past me, leaving me gaping after him.

**AN: Hi everyone! Long time, no update! My boyfriend proposed not too long ago and he pretty much had to tug the computer from me so that he could take me on a mini-vacation. I know that a bunch of you were pretty upset with Edward's 'hot and cold' act in the last chapter, but I hope this one redeems him a little!**

**Over 60 reviews! You guys are so amazing! Thanks to everyone who reviewed (you made my day/year/life): Comrade2510, LiLi82, shaz308, MaryMary123, raeiv, suzy 2010, SarahCullenxxx, xXxKirenxXx, UNcoDED ZiPCoDe, KhristenHartgrove, dipsydoodle, ClancyJane, ecullen10, Girl-on-moon, haylee21, Mz-Star, amberkey, wickedsoulx, robsmom, Jojo657, Sadie1787, stephi910, LaSpia, Valentine Rain, Bc, tereses24, dan-dan, xosummerxo, The Great Katabawa, abbydog26, krmyers10, DodgerMcClure, whisperwind1886, ADADancer, ShadesofPaIe, cbmorefie, LadyTx, Night script, sarah-bella21, SempreLove, MissFictionJunkieUnknown, icrodriguez, callice, majobloem, LuckiLuci, B3ACHGURL99, TwilightFreak19, Savannah, SolaceInSilence21, Azlady2003, Reviewer, RainDanceTammy, xolgaxo593, MsApricot90, sujari6, PitbullPrincess**

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**M-J**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

**EPOV:**

I smirked as I leaned against the railing, bowing my head to mask my amusement from the crew. There was something so…entertaining in seeing that shocked expression on Miss Swan's face.

Something so intriguing in seeing her eyes burn with fire when I said or did something that annoyed her. It confused me.

I'd never accepted opposition from anyone, let alone a spoiled, rich girl.

I couldn't deny that I did feel something for her. I wasn't quite sure _what_ it was just yet, but no longer did I think of her as just extra baggage on my ship.

I could still remember the hurt look on her face when she believed that I would send her out to be killed. I could understand why she would think that. After all, why would a pirate entertain a woman for so long without getting anything in return?

But I'd found that the thought of seeing her hurt made my stomach churn uncomfortably.

She was an attractive girl. More so than I would like to admit. Innocent, gullible, and unknowing she proved to be the living embodiment of a forbidden fruit.

Yet, underneath all the effects of her sheltered life, she was passionate. A passion that I'd been privy to quite often, as it seemed I got under her skin like no other.

She was…different.

I rubbed my hand along the smooth wood of the railing. I remembered what Peter had said when I'd visited him.

It'd been too long since I'd seen him last. However, it seemed that he'd not lost the ability to worm out answers no matter how much I tried to keep things a secret.

He'd found out about Isabella within ten minutes of talking to me. And eventually, I found myself telling him about her willingly.

I could still remember what he'd said. _"You only get a woman that makes you feel that way once in your life. You'd be the biggest fool in the world if you pushed her away."_

I knew that he was speaking from experience as he'd almost lost his wife, Charlotte to another man because he'd waited too long. He wouldn't be the same without her.

I was aware that I was falling for Isabella. In a way that I'd believed a pirate to be incapable of. I gripped my hair tightly in my hands and shook my head.

I couldn't fall for her. I shouldn't. Not now of all times when I had to stay focused. I couldn't have her as a distraction.

I felt someone clap a hand down on my shoulder. I lifted my head out of my hands to see Jasper walk up next to me.

"So, Edward, that was some bracelet that Bella was wearing this morning." Jasper mused, his eyes gleaming wickedly.

I groaned and straightened up. "What're you getting at, Jasper?"

Jasper snorted. "You know what I'm getting at. I saw you yesterday. I'm not stupid, Edward."

"Are you sure?"

"I notice stuff," He continued, ignoring me. "And I know that you were following Bella when we were at port. And I also know that you saw her looking at that bracelet."

"Fine!" I exclaimed. "I bought her the bloody bracelet. So what?"

Jasper shrugged and smiled at me. "It's just nice to see you find happiness with a woman the way I have."

I let out a frustrated cry. "I haven't 'found happiness' with her, for God's sake. It was a fucking bracelet."

Jasper just grinned at me. He'd always been a weird one.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to face the sea that _Twilight_ was cutting through. I had the fastest ship on the seven seas at my fingertips and I was worrying about a silly girl.

What the _hell_ was happening to me?

"You know," Jasper said suddenly, his voice quiet. "If you'd handed Bella over to those men, they would have given up on capturing you."

I swallowed, intently watching the waves ripple and slap against the side of the ship. The color of the water reminded me of the tints of blue I found every so often in Isabella's eyes.

"I know."

~•~

**BPOV:**

"Ow!" Seth exclaimed, scowling at me.

"Sorry!" I winced, pulling my hand back before I did any more damage.

I was clearly not skilled enough to stitch together the small cut that lined Seth's temple. He'd gotten in to a silly fight at a tavern last night with another patron.

I'd been on my way up to the deck after freshening up when I ran in to Seth following an annoyed-looking Alice to the galley. Seth had been begging Alice to stitch up the cut for him, but Alice simply refused.

She'd shouted his ear off for getting in to 'some stupid fight in the first place'. I was reminded of an older sister teaching a younger brother not to get in trouble.

So, with trembling hands I'd picked up the needle and attempted to do it myself but had only succeeded so far in almost poking Seth's eye out.

"God, Bella!" Seth groaned, dodging the needle as it fell out of my fumbling hands.

I scowled at him as I picked it up and set it carefully on the table. "I'm trying to help you, you know. You could be a bit more grateful."

At least he had the decency to look sheepish.

Alice rolled her eyes from her place atop the counter. She observed her nails carefully, purposefully maintaining her aloof facade.

I turned to her desperately as my shaking fingers refused to let me hold the needle. "Alice…"

"No, Bella." She said, sharply.

"But he's hurt."

"And it's his own fault." She turned her head resolutely away from us.

"Aw, come on, Alice." Seth began, pouting. "I didn't even start it! If that bloke hadn't tried to push me in to the counter…"

"Oh, here we go again!" Alice let out a frustrated cry, jumping down from the counter. "People don't just go around starting fights, Seth. Which you'd do well to remember next time so you don't come back on the ship with a black eye and a cut that you can't even stitch!"

"Please, Alice." Seth begged. "Just stitch me up this once, and I'll never do it again, I promise. I fear for my life when Bella has the needle."

I glared at him.

Alice glanced over at me. I crossed my arms over my chest and shrugged. Even though Seth had insulted me, I didn't want his cut to get infected.

"Fine." She grumbled, grabbing the needle from the table and sitting down across from Seth.

Slightly disgruntled, I watched as Alice guided the small string in and out of Seth's cut expertly. I fingered my palm where I had a similar string sown along the line of my cut.

I'd had the cut so long ago…it had been back when the captain had first discovered who I was. In terms of days, it was pretty recent but it felt like months had passed since that storm.

Looking back at how cold and stoic the captain had been then, I realized that his attitude towards me had definitely changed. He no longer held me at arms length.

On the contrary, he'd pulled me _close_ quite a few times…

I blushed, ducking my head so that Alice and Seth wouldn't see my embarrassment. Since when did I start thinking like this?

I'd become so crass. Seemed that living with pirates would do that to you. Even if Lord Black _did_ find me, it'd be entertaining to see how he would bring me back in to society when I could barely hold my tongue.

But…what if Lord Black didn't find me? Would this be my life? Would I be on the seas, forever trying to avoid being caught?

"What're you thinking so hard about?" Seth's voice broke through my thoughts as he jabbed me playfully in the side.

I turned to see the cut fully stitched up and bandaged over with a thin white cloth. Alice put away the needle in a small box and set it on the counter before sitting back down next to us.

"Just thinking." I waved it off.

Seth shrugged and accepted my dismissal, but Alice looked at me suspiciously. She didn't believe me and I had no doubt that she would end up questioning me about it later.

I still couldn't understand how I had gotten so close to these people in such short a time. It was as though I'd always known them and me ending up on their ship was simply a reunion.

I couldn't imagine leaving them.

Any of them. Even the captain.

As much as I hated to admit it, I cared about the captain. And I knew that underneath his cold exterior, he cared about me as well.

I just wished he'd pull it down for once and show it.

Something glinted in the corner of my eye and I forced myself back to reality.

I jumped nearly a foot in the air when I saw Seth wielding an incredibly sharp and scary looking dagger.

"Seth!" I gasped, one hand clutching the table while the other hand was pressed against my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. "What in _God's_ name is that?"

He glanced from the dagger to me with an amused expression. "Gee, I don't know, Bella." He began sarcastically. "It's sharp, and dangerous-looking…so I'm _thinking_ it's a comb." He grinned wickedly. "Want to try it out?"

"Don't you dare bring that thing next to me." I warned, edging away from him and closer to Alice who watched the proceedings as though it were a play.

Seth laughed, leaning back in his chair. "What'd you scream like a banshee for?"

"Are you crazy? I was just minding my own business when all of a sudden you whip..._that_ out!" I cried, wagging an accusing finger at the dagger.

"I was talking about it for a good two minutes, Bella. It's not my fault you weren't paying attention." Seth shrugged.

I looked to Alice for confirmation and she nodded. "You really need to listen more, Bella."

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm a little tired, I guess. I didn't sleep very well last night and I got up pretty early today."

Alice laughed. "Well you ought to be tired, you got up before _Jasper_! And I thought that wasn't even possible."

I grinned at her and turned back to Seth. "So what is it with this new dagger?"

Seth's face brightened and he looked lovingly at it. "I bought it yesterday from this man. His name was…"

"Peter?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. My eyes widened and I slapped a hand over my mouth.

"…Peter, yes." Seth finished slowly, raising an eyebrow at me. "How do you know him?"

"Yes, Bella, how?" Alice questioned, leaning forward with narrowed eyes.

_Peter knew her. _

Of course Alice would be curious as to how I'd met him. I'd spent the the whole of yesterday with her.

She looked a little hurt, as though it pained her to know that I hadn't told her about meeting him.

I bit my lip guiltily. "I-I heard some people at port…they were talking about him. They said that he made the best swords."

Once again Seth shrugged, easily accepting my feeble lie. And once again, Alice sent me a look that told me she would find out the truth later.

"Well he does." Seth grinned. "Daggers too. Look at how smooth the blade is…"

He went on to point out each and every admirable quality in the sword. I plastered on a smile and nodded every now and then, but in my head I was wondering how in the world I'd explain to Alice where I'd been this morning.

~•~

"How do you know him?" Alice asked bluntly.

It was well after midday, with the sun slowly going down. It was the only time that Alice had found to drag me away from everyone else and sit me down.

We were in my room and I was sitting on the edge of the bed, fidgeting nervously while Alice stood in front of me with a raised eyebrow.

"Well…" I began. "You know that I'd awoken fairly early, but…I didn't stay on the ship."

Alice frowned. "You didn't stay on the ship? Where did you go?"

"To port." I said sheepishly.

Alice's eyes widened. "You went to port alone? And when no one was even _awake_? Bella, have you gone mad?" She looked truly concerned.

"I just needed to find out something." I defended, hunching my shoulders closer as though trying to curl in to a little ball.

"What was so important that you couldn't wait until we were all awake?" Alice demanded.

I bit my lip, hesitating.

I trusted Alice, I truly did. I just wasn't sure about what had happened between the captain and I. What could I even tell her when I didn't understand it myself?

When it was clear that I didn't have an answer, Alice sighed and took a seat next to me.

"What is going on with you, Bella?" She asked softly. "You honestly haven't told me anything since you saw your Uncle. Did I do something wrong?"

Hurt radiated from her voice and I instantly felt contrite. She had been the first to accept me and had supported me to a ridiculous extent for someone who barely knew me.

"No, of course not, Alice." I took her hand gently in mine. "Things have been…confusing lately. I mean, so much has happened. I haven't had enough time to process it let alone tell you."

"Well, are you ready now?" Alice asked, her eyes pleading.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I think so."

Alice smiled. "Start with last night. I'm not stupid, and I know that there is something going on between you and Edward."

I groaned. "Yes, fine. Something's happening, and I suppose I do…_like_ him."

"So why'd you storm off last night?" Alice asked, looking confused.

Heat rose to my face, and I shook my head. "I was being stupid. There was that woman Tanya," The name rolled off my tongue like I'd tasted something disgusting. "And the captain was just there…encouraging her."

A wide smile spread across Alice's face. "So you were jealous?"

"No!"

Alice raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, fine." I groaned. "I was jealous. I didn't like it. I felt sick to my stomach so I left."

"And Edward followed you." Alice grinned. "Oh, this is so romantic!"

I rolled my eyes at her girlish exclamation.

"Oh yes, it was all very romantic up until the part where he hauled me on to the ship like a barbarian!" I said, widening my eyes for emphasis.

Alice frowned. "Like a barbarian?" She looked embarrassed for him.. "Oh, Edward. You're supposed to lift a woman like a bride!"

The heat that had just receded from my face returned with a vengeance.

_Bride?_

Alice took no notice. "So then what happened?"

I swallowed. "Well, we argued for a while. You know, as we always do." Alice nodded vigorously. "And then, we…well…"

Alice's eyes widened. "Did you kiss?"

Was it possible to blush on your arms?

"Yes! Yes, we kissed, alright?" I covered my face in my hands as Alice squealed loud enough for the people back at port to hear us.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She laughed as I finally looked back up at her with a glare. "I told you it would happen."

I leaned back against the wall with my arms crossed against my chest. I pouted at her smug smile.

"Well?" Alice demanded, inching closer to me. "You can't just leave me hanging here! What happened next?"

_Unfortunately, Alice, the story only gets depressing from here onwards._

"He walked me to my room, and he started…I don't know, he started going on about how Lord Black would find me eventually and that there was no point in starting something we couldn't continue."

I said it all very quickly as though I couldn't wait to get it out and be done with it.

Alice's smile faded and she stared at me intently as I tried to mask any hurt I may have felt. I shrugged and gave her a false smile.

"Oh, Edward." Alice whispered, shaking her head. "Bella, you mustn't take it personally. Edward pushes people away, that's just what he does."

"Honestly, Alice, it's fine. It happened and I'm fine now." I reassured her.

"No, you need to understand." Alice insisted. "Whenever something or someone starts to mean something to him, he tries to push it down and pretend it never happened."

I merely stared at the hand she'd placed on my arm.

"Why?" I whispered finally.

"Because that's just what a pirate does. Pirates live dangerous lives, Bella. I know you don't understand this, but people like Edward and Jasper…they need to constantly watch their backs."

"What does that have to do with him rejecting me?" I asked, meeting her gaze.

"They go to sleep every night, barely knowing that they're going to wake up the next day. Why would anyone want to bring that sort of danger on to someone that they care about?" Alice asked, gently.

I stared at her, not comprehending what she was saying.

Alice laughed softly. "Edward _cares_ about you, Bella. He's pushing you away because he doesn't want to drag you in to his world and get you hurt!"

Instead of reassuring me, Alice's words only served to fuel my fire. "Shouldn't that be my decision? Shouldn't I be the one to decide how to live my life?"

"You should." Alice agreed. "But would you ever want to let someone you love go willingly in to danger?"

Alice smiled when I remained silent.

"Everyone has a different way of dealing with it. Edward doesn't want to admit that he cares about you because that simply places more of a target on your head."

"I wish he'd just be straight with me." I said quietly.

Alice laughed softly. "If he were straight with you, then he wouldn't be Edward. He's always been a blunt man and that can come off as condescending to a lot of people."

"Can you honestly tell me that he's capable of love? Of putting someone in front of himself?" I asked her, a little desperately.

"Yes. I can." Alice said confidently. "Sometimes, we mistake people, especially those that we…_feel_ something for."

We were quiet for a while. I knew that what Alice was saying was true. I'd underestimated how much Alice had gone through and how much knowledge it had given her.

She knew how to see the best in people and it was that un-judgmental attitude that I loved so dearly about her.

"So tell me the rest," Alice said, lightening her tone. "You still have to tell me about Peter."

I laughed. "Oh, yes, of course." I licked my lips and raised my bracelet up to her eyes.

Alice's eyes widened and her fingers immediately went to it. "How did I not see this before now?" She murmured. "It's the one that the little girl was selling, wasn't it?"

I nodded.

She frowned. "You left the ship that early in the morning to buy this?"

I giggled. "No." I took a deep breath. "I…I woke up the next morning and I found it on my wrist."

Understanding dawned on Alice's face, but she stayed silent, waiting for me to finish my story.

I told her all about going to find the little girl and deducing that it was the captain that bought it for me. She gave me a knowing smirk when I told her that I followed the captain.

"I found Peter in his shop. I asked him a couple things about the captain and he told me what he could."

"So what'd you find out about him?"

"I learned that he didn't kill his parents." I shrugged.

Alice gaped at me. "You thought he killed his parents?"

"Well, there were rumors." I defended myself. "After that I left and was just heading back to the ship when the captain found me. He got mad at me for leaving the ship alone, but before he could do anything about it, these men came."

"Men?" Alice asked, confused.

"The men sent by…my Uncle." I swallowed. "The captain was pretty quick and hid us from them. We heard all their plans and we hurried back to the ship. That's why we had to leave so quick from port."

Alice nodded slowly. "Finally. Things make more sense." She shot me a wry smile that I returned.

"I'm sorry I hid this from you for so long."

Alice waved off my apology. "I don't blame you. You were confused, anyone would have been."

"I want to start my sword lessons with Jasper again." I said suddenly.

Alice looked taken aback. "Why?"

I shrugged. "If I'm going to stay on a pirate ship long enough to prove to the captain that I'm going to be in danger regardless, I should sharpen up my skills, shouldn't I?"

Alice grinned at me.

~•~

I tossed and turned restlessly in my bed that night. No matter how hard I tried to drift off, sleep did everything it could to evade me.

Like a game of cat and mouse, every time I began to dose off, something would wake me up.

Whether it be the waves slapping, the wooden boards creaking, or the scratchy feeling of the sheets, my sleep was as disturbed as it could be.

I groaned in to my pillow, the loose tendrils from my braid falling around me. Finally giving up, I got up and walked over to the mirror on the wall.

I yanked the hairband out of my hair and carefully worked out the knots that the braid had left. My eyes looked tired and I had been positive that after last night's lack of sleep I would sleep like a baby tonight.

It seemed that my reasoning was a little off.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Quietly, I opened the door and walked in to the hallway.

Making sure that I didn't step on any creaky floorboards, I tiptoed through the ship till I climbed up the steps on to deck and was hit with the cold night air.

I smiled and closed my eyes against the calming effect it had on my flustered skin. A small, masculine sigh forced my eyes open.

I gaped when I saw none other than the captain, the first few buttons or so of his shirt undone and looking more ragged than I'd ever seen him.

There was a look of…contentment on his face.

Wait a minute…what was he doing lying on the ground? My eyes drifted to his hand where I saw a bottle of rum clutched tightly.

_Ah._

I bit back a laugh and slowly walked over to the supposedly 'ever sober' captain. His eyes were closed, a small, silly smile playing on his face. Everything about him was completely still except his tapping foot which was the only indication that he was awake.

He must have heard my footsteps because he opened his eyes groggily and raised himself up slightly on his elbows. His face spread in to a wide smile when he saw me.

"Miss Swan!" He greeted spreading one arm wide. "What are you doing awake so late on this fine night?"

"I could ask the same of you." I said, amused as I slowly squatted down next to him.

"Me?" His smile widened. "I'm just enjoying life."

As though to emphasize the fact, he took another swig of rum from his bottle. I couldn't help but notice that even in his inebriated state, he still looked _exceedingly_ handsome.

His undone shirt exposed more of his chest than I'd ever seen and it was…beautiful. Lines and ridges adorned every inch and I instantly felt safe.

"I thought you don't drink." I commented, desperate to distract myself from the feelings that were welling in me.

He squinted at me. "I said that?"

I nodded.

He shrugged. "I don't when Jasper and Emmett are drinking. They didn't drink tonight, thank the Lord!" He shouted dramatically.

"Sh!" I hissed, pressing a finger to his lips and looking around hastily.

He grabbed my finger before I could pull it back and stared at it intently. "Your fingers are so small."

Indeed, when held by Edward's mammoth hands, they did seem quite small.

Before I knew what he was doing, he tugged my hand forward and pressed a kiss right in the center of my palm. My eyes widened and I yanked my hand away.

A blush rose to my face at the sudden affection, but the drunk captain seemed to think it was completely normal. He lay back down on his back and sighed happily.

"Look at the stars. Aren't they beautiful? Aren't the stars beautiful?"

Biting back a laugh, I looked up at the sky. Though the captain wasn't exactly thinking straight at the moment, he was right about the stars.

They were majestic, yet gentle, gracing the skies as their own little diamonds.

"They are beautiful." I agreed, still looking up.

"You're beautiful."

That got my attention. I looked down at him to see him staring back at me. I rolled my eyes at him.

"You are!" He insisted, sloppily shoving himself in to a sitting position. His rum sloshed precariously in his bottle.

"Okay, okay!" I chuckled, raising my hands in surrender.

He grinned at me, his hair falling in to his eyes. He appeared so boyish at that moment that I couldn't believe he was the same man.

I liked this new man. The man that didn't push me away and didn't care about saying how he felt.

Then I remembered how much rum it had taken for him to become like this.

My smile faded and I bit my lip, looking out in to the ocean. The dark curtain mirrored the moon, its reflection slightly distorted by the waves.

I tried to focus all my attention on counting how many ripples I could find spreading the moon across the water in order to distract myself from the man lying next to me.

Suddenly, I felt him tug at my hair.

"Ow!" I scowled, turning back to face him.

"You weren't paying attention to me." He pouted. He paused, staring at my hair suddenly as though fascinated. "I like your hair."

"Thank you…?" I furrowed my brows.

"Leave it down more often." He nodded firmly, still feathering my hair between his fingers. "It's beautiful."

_There was that word again._

I blushed. "Thank you."

I looked down at my feet and suddenly felt very awkward. "I should go." I told him, pushing off my knees to get up.

His hand shot out surprisingly fast for someone so drunk. He grabbed my hand and yanked me down so that I fell right on top of him.

"Edward!" I yelped, pushing myself off his chest.

He gaped at me. I furrowed my brows and rubbed at my cheeks self-consciously.

"What?" I demanded.

"You said my name." He said, sounding shocked.

"Well, of course I said your name."

"No. _You said my name._" He repeated.

"Good. That makes so much more sense now."

He gripped my arm tightly and pulled me down slightly. "You called me 'Edward'. Not 'Captain'."

I opened my mouth to insist I hadn't, when I realized…I had. I'd called him _Edward_ for the first time. It was completely involuntary.

I shrugged. "I guess I did." I said softly. "So?"

He smiled at me - not a smirk or a knowing grin. A true smile. "I like it." He snaked his arm around my waist.

This new Edward was making my head spin. Is this what he could be like underneath his cold, hard exterior?

I found myself laughing at his silliness. "Edward." I repeated, teasingly.

He chuckled with me, tracing one hand up my arm and to my cheek. His thumb brushed my lower lip gently.

"Can I tell you something, Isabella?" He asked me, slowly. His eyes were steady.

I nodded.

He smiled. "I fancy you."

His words shouldn't have surprised me as much as they did. He'd kissed me before. And he'd told me a couple times tonight itself that he found me beautiful.

But the sheer weight of him admitting that he cared for me…was immense.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back my smile. "You do?"

"I do."

I laughed softly. "Well, I suppose I fancy you, too."

His smile widened and he brought my face down to his, pressing his lips to mine. His lips were soft and inviting and I melted in to his grip. I allowed him to hold me tightly to him.

His tongue traced my lips, teasing me slightly before entering my mouth. I recoiled slightly when I tasted the whiskey he'd been drinking.

_He was drunk_, I realized with a jolt.

"What's wrong?" He murmured when I pulled away.

I shook my head, feeling like a dead weight had just fallen in the pit of my stomach.

"You're not thinking straight." I told him softly. "You don't know what you're saying or doing. It's all the rum. You don't mean it."

He gave me an incredulous look. "What do you mean I don't mean it?"

"What you said. About fancying me. You don't…it's just the rum."

He stared at me intently. "Why don't you let me decide that?"

I let out a humorless laugh. "You won't remember any of this in the morning! Perhaps this doesn't mean anything to you and it's just another drunken adventure, but for me…this is it."

"Well, you won't know if I remember anything in the morning or not unless you take a chance, now will you?" He raised an eyebrow.

It was good to know that his logic was still in full force even though he was drunk.

I stared at him, his pleading green eyes boring in to mine. It was as though he was begging me to take a chance on him, to be patient with him.

Everything Alice had told me this evening came back to my mind and I found my resistance crumbling with each passing second.

_Be reckless, Bella._

I nodded slowly to him. His eyes brightened and he pulled me down to him, close but so that our lips never touched.

"I want you to know all about me, Isabella." He murmured. My hair fell forward and his index finger traced the length of my curl before tucking it behind my ear.

"I want to tell you all about my past." He said softly in my ear.

"Then tell me." I whispered. I lay down next to him, my head against his chest. He slowly wrapped an arm around my shoulders, tucking me closer to him.

He took a deep breath, his chest moving underneath my cheek. "My parents were murdered when I was young. Too young. I didn't even really understand what had happened."

I could hear him swallow. "It all started with my Uncle. My Father's brother. My parents trusted him more than anyone in the world. Their love for people that were supposedly close to them is what got them killed.

"I'd never been a fan of my Uncle even as a child. He used to scare me. He'd always wanted power, being the first-born. But my Grandfather entrusted everything with my Father because he'd worked harder than my Uncle had."

If he was still drunk, he hid it very well. All I could hear in his voice was the pain and emotion he felt at recounting his story.

"My Father was getting older, weaker. My Uncle saw it as the perfect time to strike. The first thing he did, he…he wanted to hurt my Father. Hurt him for taking what he saw as rightfully his. So he raped my Mother."

Air rushed up my lungs. I lifted my head off his chest and looked down at him.

His eyes were pained, but he met my gaze firmly. He touched my cheek gently, almost as if he were trying to send me a message.

Alice's words once again came back to my mind.

'_Why would anyone want to bring that sort of danger on to someone that they care about?'_

I grabbed his free hand and pressed a kiss in the center of his palm like he'd done to me. I gripped it tightly in mine, my eyes urging him to continue.

He did so, swallowing. "I was in the next room. I heard my Mother's screaming, but couldn't open the door so I got my Father. My Father was beyond devastated. He'd walked in on them, like my Uncle had intended.

"He couldn't understand how his brother could have hurt the woman he loved. But my Uncle didn't waste a second. After my Father pulled him off of my Mother, my Uncle pulled a sword out on him."

I could feel the pain etched in his words and was instantly glad that I'd stayed. Whatever the captain had done, I couldn't leave him alone when he was hurt.

"He ran the sword through him while my Mother and I watched. All I could remember after that was my Mother screaming and the blood."

He shook his head. "Then he turned to me. He needed to kill me. I was the heir to everything he needed. The fortune. If it wasn't for my Mother shouting at me to run, I probably wouldn't have ran. I didn't know what I was going to do, or how I was going to do it. I just ran."

I cupped his cheeks softly. "Where'd you go?" I asked.

He laughed humorlessly. "Out on to the streets. Can you imagine? A little kid trying to make his way through the meanest city in all of England?"

I smiled slightly. "I think you could do it."

He smirked and tipped his head to the side. "I _did_ do it."

I laughed at him.

He shrugged. "I made my way. I won't lie. It was as tough as it could get. That's where I met Emmett and Jasper. We were all orphaned children, trying to feed ourselves.

"We figured that three was better than one. Eventually, we got in to stealing. We had no other choice. Everyone thinks that if they were put in to that situation, they'd make the right choice…"

He laughed scornfully. "When you're out there on the streets, the hunger…it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you in the stomach."

I could tell that the memory was hurting him so I rubbed his hand again. "How did you get in to pirating?" I asked him.

"After I ran away, my Uncle told everyone that I'd killed my Father." He explained.

"And people believed that?" I asked incredulously. "That a little kid would murder his Father?"

"People believe what they want to believe." He shrugged. "My Uncle had been pretty well respected in society. No one in the right mind would suspect him.

"My Mother tried to speak out against him, tell the world the truth. But he told everyone that she…had thrown herself at him and that she'd had an affair. No one would believe her after that.

"I learned all of this by listening to the women as they gossiped in the markets. One day, they whispered that my Mother had died. Of a disease, they said, but I knew the truth. He'd killed her."

I didn't speak. I simply stared at him and clutched his hand in mine.

He smiled wryly at me. "With everyone accusing me of murder, I had to run. We met a pirate in port one day. Turned out he was a captain. We practically begged him for jobs. I don't know why, but he took us in.

"I told Jasper and Emmett that they didn't need to follow me. After all, they weren't accused of anything. They could stay on land. But they were determined to follow me."

I smiled at that.

"We all got older. Even the pirate captain. I'll admit, I'd developed this notion that he was invincible. He called me in to his office one day and told me that he was leaving the ship to me. He was going to flee to the America's. He wanted to die in peace, not avoiding the Guards."

"That's how you got this ship." I finished.

He nodded, before getting a mischievous glint in his eye. "Then one day a stubborn, scared little rich girl came aboard my ship."

I bit my lip and giggled. "Oh? And what did she do?"

"She did everything she could to get on my nerves." The captain said, dramatically.

"She sounds like a smart girl." I commented, laughing when he dug his fingers in to my sides and yanked me down to him.

"She's a very smart girl." He chuckled in to my ear. "She got the captain to tell a story he hasn't told anyone for as long as he can remember."

I smiled down at him. "Thank you."

He shrugged, red tinting his cheeks.

"Thank you." I repeated firmly, tilting his chin towards me. "I know that it wasn't an easy feat for you to tell me."

"I wanted to." He stared at me meaningfully. "It's exhausting trying to resist you, Isabella."

"I just hope you remember all of this in the morning." I whispered fearfully.

"I will." He said confidently. He glanced at my awkward position on his chest and laughed. "Lie down."

I did as he asked, lying down against the hard wooden boards of the ship. He rolled over, one arm resting against either side of me.

He lifted one hand, resting it first against my throat before moving it down. He fidgeted with the first button, undoing and doing it almost nervously.

He looked up at me and slowly dipped down to capture my lips with his. His tongue quickly entered my mouth, as though desperate to taste me.

The thought sent tingles up and down my body.

I moaned at the feeling of his body pressed intimately against mine. I weaved my hands in to his hair and pulled him impossibly closer.

My thumb brushed the sharp line of his jaw where I could feel his muscles moving rapidly. He finally undid the button on my shirt and moved down, unbuttoning the next three in quick succession.

I gasped, pulling slightly away from him.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I stuttered.

He didn't answer me. His eyes were boring holes in to the small strip of skin between my breasts that was revealed.

I could almost hear my Mother's voice in my head screaming at me for doing something so intimate before marriage.

He raised his green eyes back up to mine and trailed his index finger slowly down the skin. I closed my eyes against the sensation, my lips parting as I felt his touch all the way down to my feet.

He leaned down and gently kissed my jaw, moving down till he reached my pulse point. I could feel his tongue flick against the point and I gasped again.

He moved down and placed a small kiss right between the valley of my breasts. He moved slightly to the right, kissing my breast through my shirt.

My hands shot upwards to grip his shoulders.

"Edward." I breathed.

"You're beautiful." He murmured, kissing the other breast.

He undid the last few buttons of my shirt before running his hand down the middle of my chest. I could feel every bump and callous of his rough hands, but I loved it.

I loved that his hands were rugged and every bit as masculine as a man's ought to be.

The flaps of his shirt lay loose around his sides, exposing even more of his chest. I ran my hands along his muscles, hoping to make him feel the same way he'd made me feel.

He didn't disappoint. He shut his eyes tightly and groaned, clutching my hand where it lay against his bare chest.

"Isabella," He whispered. "You better stop."

I frowned, and yanked my hand away from his grasp, placing it on a different spot on his chest.

_He couldn't tell me what to do._

And I _really_ wanted to touch him.

He chuckled. "Stubborn girl."

He lowered himself again, kissing my lips gently. His hands fingered the flaps of my shirt. All he had to do was pull on either side and my nude breasts would be exposed to him.

He gently tugged each side, and I could feel night air hit more and more of my skin each second.

Suddenly a loud creak sounded through the night. As soon as the sound hit our ears, Edward yanked the sides of my shirt together, hiding my chest once more.

I gasped and sat up.

Edward did the same, his eyes piercing the darkness to see what had caused the noise.

"What was it?" I whispered to him when it was clear that there was no one else on the deck.

He slowly shook his head. "Must have been the floorboards."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in. I glanced up at Edward who looked down at me with a wry smile.

"Better not do anything more tonight." He said, gently pulling the sides of my shirt together and re-doing the buttons he'd undone.

My brows furrowed. My body was still tingling and…I didn't want to stop. "Why?"

He chuckled at me. "I won't risk one of the crew walking up here and seeing you topless."

I immediately blushed at that thought. My blush only caused the captain to laugh harder. He pulled me close and pressed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Do you want to go in?" I asked him.

He exhaled, thinking. "No." He said finally, taking my hand in his and pulling me back down with him. "I want to sleep with you out here."

He tucked my head under his chin, and smoothed his hand down my side.

I smiled, feeling more content than I had in…quite a while.

Everything was finally falling in place. I'd spent time with Seth, caught up with Alice, we were back on the seas, and I'd finally dug deeper with the captain.

I was finally happy.

I hoped that this happiness wouldn't be gone tomorrow.

**AN: Hi everyone! So I was a little scared putting out this update, because it dealt with some pretty intense stuff. There'll be more of that next chapter, because Edward's still a little drunk here…I hope I did alright!**

**Thank you so much to all you lovely lovely reviewers (you make my day/year/life): tereses24, haylee21, Mz-Star, gypsy755, xosummerxo, SarahCullenxxx, alc219, B3ACHGURL99, Tach8, ADADancer, xXxKirenxXx, Valentine Rain, draconerd, Dan-Dan10, SolaceInSilence21, LiLi82, LadyTx, LaSpia, KhristenHartgrove, krmyers10, whisperwind1886, Girl-on-moon, abbydog26, Night script, deranged-dreamer, Azlady2003, mymy90, cbmorefie, Stray283, AstridGreenEyes, stephi910, dipsydoodle, maliciouspixie5, royalblueheiress, shaz308, majobloem, MsApricot90, ecullen10, LuckiLuci, Paliaya, amberkey, aAnnalise, Sleepinthegarden, Nissa-Cullen, edwardstalker**

**Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming 'cause we hit 600 reviews! Thank you so much to everyone who's contributed! **

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**Review, review, review and I'll update soon!**

**M-J**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

**EPOV:**

There was a dull throbbing in the back of my head.

It wasn't the worst I'd had and I was vaguely aware of it. I was more aware of the chill that surrounded me.

_Why was it so cold?_

I frowned and slowly opened my eyes only to be met with, not the ceiling of my room, but the still dark-tinged blue sky.

Was I sleeping on the _deck_?

I glanced to my right and saw an empty bottle of rum lying next to me.

_Well, that explains it._

Suddenly I noticed that only the right half of my body was privy to the chill of the early morning. My left half was surprisingly warm as though covered by a blanket.

I closed my eyes and bit back a groan when the events of the previous night finally came back to me. I remembered seeing Miss Swan, inviting her to sit with me, and telling her…everything.

Then the kissing…

The warmth in my side wasn't a blanket. It was her.

I glanced down to see her still fast asleep, her eyes closed and her eyelashes resting peacefully against her wind-burnt cheeks. Her left hand was closed in a fist and resting atop my chest.

Her hair was everywhere, half of it across my cheek and half across hers. I couldn't stop myself from inhaling its tantalizing scent.

I sighed when I realized what I had gotten myself in to.

She knew _everything_. She knew all about me. I didn't mean to tell her. I didn't want her to know.

What were the chances that she'd wake up and not remember?

You_ were the drunk one, not her._

Inadvertently, I'd given her a promise. By telling her about me, I'd told her that I cared about her enough to expose myself.

I knew I cared about her. Despite my best efforts, she'd dragged me in and I didn't want to push her away and hurt her anymore.

But I didn't want to let her in and get _myself_ hurt when she left.

This kind of trust had never gotten anyone anywhere. It'd left my parents dead and me orphaned.

The sun began to peak out over the sea when Isabella finally stirred in my arms. I froze, not knowing what to do. I quickly closed my eyes.

She let out a small sigh and placed her open palm on my chest to push herself up. I could feel her gaze on me…it was piercing.

And I knew she remembered everything.

She was unlike anyone I'd ever met. It shouldn't have been _me_ trying to push her away, it should have been _her_.

Why would she even want to be with a pirate? What did she think could come from this?

For the first time ever, I wanted a woman…romantically. The word itself left a bad taste in my mouth. I had no idea that the feeling would be so intense and that I would care so much.

I'd had my fair share of women with wenches or even just women that were hoping for a good time when we came to port. I'd _never_ felt like this with any one of them. It would just be a night where we both took from the other what we wanted.

Now, for the first time in a long time, I was thinking unselfishly.

Even if I wanted to be with her, I couldn't risk her getting hurt. She deserved better than that.

She was strong. Stronger than I gave her credit for. No matter how much I pushed her away, she always came back each time with better armor.

Her hand trailed up my chest, the feel of it against my bare skin making me repress a shudder.

"I know you're awake." She whispered finally.

I swallowed and opened my eyes. The sight that met me took my breath away.

Her chocolate eyes stared down at me with so much emotion that I couldn't pinpoint any one. Her hair fell in waves down her arms, long and beautiful.

Behind her, the rising sun cast her in a brilliant orange glow. In the light I could see every smooth slope of her face and every soft curl of her hair.

Neither of us said anything. After all, what would we say? We simply stared at each other.

She slowly raised her hand and brushed along my cheek where a day's worth of stubble littered my face. She didn't seem to mind, her soft fingers rubbing along my jaw.

I closed my eyes against the feeling and reached up to hold her hand close to my face. I looked up at her and moved her hand to my lips, kissing the center of her palm just as I had done last night.

"Beautiful." I said with a small smile.

I wanted her to know that no matter what, last night had in fact been…something. I would never be able to court her and treat her like a gentleman, but my feelings for her were different.

I'd told her things that I couldn't take back, and a part of me didn't want to.

I knew that one day she would leave and things would fall apart. But I wanted to push that day off for as long as I could. If I could be happy, if only for now, maybe it was enough.

Her face broke in to a brilliant smile at my words, and I knew she understood what I was trying to say.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her voice so soft that I might have mistaken it for the morning breeze.

I allowed my free hand to rest against her cheek and pull her lips down to mine. Instinctively, my eyes closed. Her lips were like rose petals and her skin was like the finest silk.

I wanted nothing more than to plunge my tongue in to her mouth so that I might taste that delectable flavor that I only ever experienced with her. But I kept it chaste, allowing my lips to linger for mere seconds before pulling away.

"I'm sure." I murmured.

A small blush filled her cheeks as she smiled and looked down. I chuckled as she buried her head under my chin.

I held her close with one arm, burying my hand in to her hair. I had to admit that I was fascinated by it.

Alice's hair was cut short, and wenches in port always had rough hair from lack of care. Isabella's, on the other hand, was completely different.

It was long and full and the most beautiful raven color I had ever seen.

I almost scoffed at the thoughts that were going through my head. One would think I was a poet, not a pirate.

I'd never realized how long it took for the sun to rise. It was making it's way, slowly piercing through the clouds and towards its spot for the next couple hours.

"Jasper will be awake soon." I said suddenly.

I sat up, taking her with me. She stared at me with wide eyes as I gripped the tops of her arms.

"The crew can not know about us." I told her firmly.

"I don't particularly want them to know about us, either." She frowned. "But why would it be such a problem?"

"The less people that know about us, the better. Don't forget, Isabella, I'm a pirate. And a _wanted_ pirate. I can't afford to give them any more personal targets."

"Who's 'them'?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Guards," I shrugged. "People that I've wronged. Between them and the rest of the pirates eyeing out the competition, a lot of people want me dead."

She flinched and glanced down at her hands. "Are you," She cleared her throat. "Are you in any danger now?"

I smirked. "What's wrong? Worried?"

She scowled up at me. "You're such a prat." She muttered.

I laughed and helped her up. "I'll be fine." I assured her. "I don't die easy."

I winked at her but she didn't look convinced. I had to admit that a part of me really liked the fact that she was worried about me. I hadn't had a lot of people to care for me over the years.

Of course there was Jasper, Emmett, and more recently Alice, but I liked knowing that Isabella didn't want to see me hurt.

I shook my head. I was turning in to a complete pansy.

"Go." I nodded towards the stairs that led below deck. "Oh, wait, one thing." I grabbed her arm, turning her back to me. "Keep this with you."

I reached in to my boot and pulled out my dagger. Isabella's eyes widened when I handed it to her. She held it and gaped up at me.

"Why would I need this?" She asked, her brows furrowed.

"Do we need to risk it?" I cocked an eyebrow.

She glanced down at the dagger once more before shrugging. She turned to leave.

"Isabella!" She turned back to me with a raised eyebrow. "Meet me here again tonight."

She looked surprised but pleased. She grinned and nodded at me. "No more pushing me away." She whispered.

"I suppose so." I agreed. She slowly turned away. "Isabella!"

She turned back to me with an exasperated look. "Edward! What is it?" She laughed.

I smirked and grabbed her arm, yanking her back to me. I pressed my lips tightly to hers. Yet again, I didn't deepen it, but I was content just to have her skin against mine.

"Now you can leave." I grinned, pecking her lips one last time.

She laughed at me and shook her head. She turned around and headed back down the stairs, shooting me one last smile before disappearing under deck.

All of a sudden, I felt unbalanced. I stumbled backwards, reaching for the railing to steady myself.

I gripped it tightly, shaking my head.

_What the bloody hell had I done?_

It seemed that whenever I was with Isabella Swan, all my common sense flew out the window. I was being so selfish with her.

This girl…this wonderful, beautiful girl could get hurt simply because of who she's involved with.

I didn't regret becoming a pirate. Ever. It taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I was who I was because of what I had been through.

Yes, I was targeted because of it, but I was also feared because of it. After being on the streets and being more worthless than the dog sitting next to me, I loved the respect that being a pirate commanded.

The reputation that I had built up for myself practically cleared my way everywhere I went. I loved seeing the fear in people's eyes.

The very people who had barely spared me a glance when I was a boy now knew to fear me with every fiber of their being.

I enjoyed the darkness of my existence because it afforded me clarity. In all my life, I had one goal: kill my Uncle and avenge my parents.

I didn't want to suck Isabella in to this darkness. She was the brightest woman I'd seen, and I knew that she wouldn't last long in my world.

Were a few kisses and sweet moments worth risking her life?

And how the hell had I fallen for her so bloody fast? I remember my Father telling me that the minute he saw my Mother, he loved her.

When I saw Isabella for the very first time, I was simply annoyed.

But then again, she had been a man at that time.

After I realized she was a girl, I was angry. Over the course of the next few days itself, though, I could feel myself falling for her.

There was no point in denying it.

Now that I was so attached, I was positive that people would notice. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering to her.

My crew already suspected something between us. Now that we weren't fighting or trying to avoid each other, they would quickly put two and two together.

I trusted my crew. But I knew that under the influence of rum and some wenches, gossip and secrets would come flying out.

If people knew about us, there might as well have been a target placed upon Isabella's head. They would come after her, I was sure of it.

I couldn't let that happen. I _wouldn't _let that happen.

"Edward?" Jasper's voice cut through my thoughts - as it frequently does. "I thought that was you."

I turned to see him walking towards me. He leaned against the railing and glanced over at me.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked, frowning.

I shrugged. "Not sure."

He laughed. "You're not sure how long you've been awake?" His smile slipped away when he noticed my expression. "Edward?"

"I'm fine." I said brusquely, pushing away from the railing and heading towards the stairs.

Jasper caught my arm. "Hold on, mate. Just tell me what's wrong." He looked genuinely concerned.

I exhaled and shook my head. "I've made a mistake."

Jasper frowned. "A mistake?"

I nodded.

"What kind of a mistake?"

_I've fallen for a woman and she's going to get hurt because of me._

Jasper sighed when I stayed silent. "Does this have to do with Bella?" He asked.

I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze but didn't respond. He nodded slowly.

"It can't have been that bad," He reasoned. "She looked pretty happy when I saw her in the hallway a few minutes ago."

I felt an uncomfortable feeling fill my stomach. She was happy, and here I was second-guessing everything.

I didn't want to do this and risk her getting hurt, but if I pushed her away again she would _definitely_ get hurt.

"Alice's told me she wants to learn to fight again, you know." Jasper commented.

I smiled wryly. _'Course she does._

I knew that no matter how much she learned, she would never be able to compete with a pirate in real life. She'd be killed in a matter of seconds.

I tried to swallow down the fear I felt and smiled at Jasper. "Teach her well, then."

~•~

**BPOV:**

I felt like a silly girl.

I'd never fancied myself the type to place all of her happiness on a man, but I just couldn't help but feel content.

I'd been so scared when I'd woken up, and that fear had increased ten-fold when I saw him pretending to sleep. But then he'd opened his eyes.

And without words, he told me that he remembered last night, and that he didn't regret it. It was better than any dream I could have conjured up.

I wasn't quite sure when my fear for the captain had turned in to this. I could still remember how frightened I'd been of the pirate captain when I stepped on to this ship.

Somewhere along the way it'd turned in to annoyance, and then attraction, and now this mutual affection.

I was beyond happy.

I grinned in to my pillow, which seemed ten times fluffier than it had yesterday. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I found I didn't care.

I could still taste his lips and feel his touch. Whenever I ran my hand along my neck, I remembered what his lips had felt like, trailing kisses down my chest.

I wanted to both tell the whole world and shut everyone out. I wanted everyone to know, but I didn't want to break the little bubble we'd formed around ourselves.

It'd been just a few hours since I'd seen him last and I already couldn't wait until tonight.

I wanted so badly to just stay with him the whole day, but I knew he was busy. He had to do his duties as captain of the ship. I'd never truly thought about how hard it must be to run a ship.

Maybe this whole experience really _was_ opening my eyes. After all, who would have thought that I would end up sympathizing with a pirate?

Forget sympathizing, I was _caring_ for him in a way that I'd never experienced with any man before. What was it about him that made me feel so different?

Maybe I'd find out tonight…

I sat up and ran a hand through my tangled hair. I placed my hands on my cheeks, squishing them inwards in an attempt to push away the smile that had become a permanent fixture on my face.

I shook my head at myself and grinned, pushing off the covers and making my way over to the mirror.

My reflection smiled goofily back at me. I was about to braid my crazy hair when something glinted in the corner of my eye.

I looked in the direction of the light and saw that it was the handle of the dagger that the captain gave me reflecting the sunlight. I furrowed my brows and walked over to where it lay on the table.

I picked it up, running my fingers over the ornate handle. The metal was sharp and heavy, and I found myself wondering how in the world the captain had kept it in his boot without stabbing himself.

I ran my finger along the center of the blade, careful not to prick myself on the edges. I placed my thumb on the other side, finding the blade to be thinner than I'd expected.

There was no doubt in my mind that it would be an incredibly painful affair to have it slice through skin.

I cringed at the thought.

I remembered asking why I needed such a weapon. The captain had simply said not to risk it. But I knew that I would never be able to use it on someone.

I couldn't simply stab someone…I couldn't deal out death or pain so easily.

_If the captain thinks that I'm going to use this one someone, then he's sorely mistaken, _I thought grimly.

True, I wanted to learn to fight, but that was only to defend myself and to prove that I could do it. I didn't want to rely on someone all of the time to protect me.

I bit my lip and hesitantly thrust the dagger forward.

I let out a small laugh at how foolish I looked. I spread my legs a little the way Jasper had shown me days ago and once again thrust the dagger forward.

I winced when I felt my arm get sore already.

I frowned down at the heavy dagger and placed it back down on the table. I shook my arm out and rubbed my forearm gently.

I jumped when I heard a small knock on the door.

"Bella?" I heard Alice's voice call out. "Are you awake?"

I took a deep breath, regaining my composure. "Yes, Alice. Come in."

The door opened slightly and Alice poked her head in. I smiled at her as she shut the door behind her and walked in.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up," She commented.

I smiled sheepishly. "I guess I slept in a little today. I'm sorry."

She waved it off. "Don't worry. No one's very busy today. I was bored and wanted to see if you were awake."

Her eyes drifted over to the dagger on the table and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Er…Bella, I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, but you have a dagger in your room."

I blushed. "I noticed."

She raised an eyebrow. "Alright, let me see if I can rephrase: _why_ do you have a dagger in your room?"

"You know…just in case." I said vaguely.

I wasn't sure if when the captain talked about the 'crew', he meant Alice as well. I didn't want to end up telling someone when he didn't want me to.

"Bella, honestly," Alice sighed. "Just tell me."

_How was I supposed to hide anything from her? Hadn't I just vowed yesterday to be more honest with her? _

I was going to tell her, and the captain…well, he would just have to deal with it. I felt strangely _confident_ after having experienced what I had last night.

Everyone was vulnerable, and after the captain had shown me that side, I wasn't going to allow him to hide it behind his cool facade.

At least, not with me.

"Well," I began hesitantly. "The captain gave it to me."

Her eyes widened. "_Edward_ gave it to you?" She picked up the dagger and studied it carefully. "Lord, I should have known…" She muttered. "When'd he give it to you?"

"This…er, this morning." I cleared my throat, blushing furiously.

"I'm guessing you woke up early today as well?" She asked wryly.

I nodded.

"Why'd he give you this, though?" Alice asked, studying me suspiciously. "Last I heard, you weren't feeling very friendly with him."

"Yes, well, that may have changed." I mumbled the last part, hoping she wouldn't hear.

"Overnight?" She laughed as if saying '_come on, Bella'_.

Her smile faded when she noticed that I wasn't laughing along with her. Her amused expression gave way to one of disbelief.

"Good Lord, what is going on in this ship?" She muttered, shaking her head. "So you saw Edward last night?"

"I was feeling a little restless, so I went up on deck, hoping that it would calm my nerves and let me sleep." I explained. "That's when I found the captain on the deck, a little…inebriated."

"And?"

"And we talked."

"Talked." Alice repeated skeptically.

I nodded emphatically. "We talked a little and he told me about…his past."

Alice's eyes widened. "He told you? Everything?"

"Yes."

Alice's eyes got impossibly wider and she looked like she was going to fall over. "Bloody hell." She whispered.

I chuckled a little at her cursing. Though, I should admit that the phrase pretty much summed up last night's events.

"I'll admit," Alice said finally. "I'm a little jealous. I had to practically force it out of him, and even then I had to hear half of the story from Jasper."

I blushed and looked at the ground, trying to hide my pleasure. I was flattered that the captain had actually _wanted_ to tell me.

"So? What happened next?" Alice demanded.

"Well, we fell asleep." I admitted lamely.

Alice snorted, covering her mouth to hold back her laugh. "Suspect he was too drunk to do much else, yeah?"

I giggled and shrugged, not wanting to admit that…well, we had done some other things.

"Then you woke up," Alice continued. "Please tell me he didn't act like a prat."

"He didn't act like a prat." I smiled. "He told me that he didn't want the crew to know about us yet…something about the less people knowing, the safer."

Alice nodded. "And he gave you his dagger."

"Yes."

"Well," Alice exhaled with a small smile. "I guess the two of you aren't hopeless after all."

I merely grinned.

"I told Jasper about you wanting to learn how to fight again, by the way," Alice said conversationally, moving over to sit on the edge of the bed.

I glanced over at her excitedly. "Really? What did he say? Did he say teach me?" "Bella, calm down," Alice laughed. "He said he'd love to teach you again."

My eyes drifted over to the dagger. "Do you think he'd teach me how to fight with a dagger too?"

~•~

"Come on, Bella." Jasper urged. "If you don't keep your arm strong, they'll get one over you."

I panted heavily, forcing my arm upwards to meet Jasper's sword. The clash of metal echoed through the room.

I struggled to keep the pressure on my sword against his. He let his sword fall, giving me a second's rest before coming at me from the other side.

I parried his attacks as best as I could.

_Much more of this and my arm would fall off. _

Nonetheless, I kept at it, meeting his sword every time it came down on mine. I pushed against my sword, shoving his sword backwards.

"That's it," Jasper encouraged, grinning at me. "You're doing wonderfully, Bella."

He pulled his sword back and motioned for me to do the same.

I let my sword fall with a sigh of relief, rolling my shoulders to relieve the tension. The door suddenly flew open and Alice walked in, carrying a tray of soup and bread.

"Break," She announced firmly, taking in my flushed disposition.

"Good timing." Jasper smiled, walking over to grab a slice of bread.

But I wasn't looking at them anymore. Because right behind Alice came an annoyed-looking captain.

He was glaring at Alice and he opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something when he caught sight of me. His mouth snapped shut and he raised an eyebrow, clearly wondering what I was doing here.

"What's going on in here?" He asked Jasper, frowning.

"I waf teaking her how to fighf." He responded, his mouth still full of bread.

Alice looked at him in disgust as breadcrumbs flew out of his mouth and landed on his shirt. "Jasper," She admonished. "Swallow first."

He swallowed his bread and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I said that I was teaching her how to fight."

The captain glanced at the swords on the ground before his gaze made its way back to me. My heart sped up when his green eyes met mine, and I was suddenly glad that my cheeks were already flushed so he wouldn't see how he affected me.

The corner of his mouth turned upwards.

"And have you had any luck?" He asked, with a small smile.

I shot him an annoyed look, opening my mouth to retort sarcastically, when Jasper came to my aid.

"Quite some luck, actually," Jasper smiled at me. "She's doing very well."

"Is that so?" The captain asked, studying me with that curious smile still on his face.

"It is," Alice emphasized, shooting me a proud look. "Soon, she'll be able to best you."

I shot her a shy smile, secretly pleased at all of their praise. I _did_ notice that I was getting better, and it was nice to see that they saw it too.

The captain drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "Hm…" He glanced towards Jasper. "Why don't you let me take over here, Jasper?"

He straightened up and walked over to pick up Jasper's dropped swords. Jasper looked at him, shocked.

"You want to teach her?" Jasper asked, shooting the captain a suspicious glance.

"Sure." He shrugged.

Jasper turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright with this?"

"Er, yes, sure." I managed, my voice coming out strangled. I was in shock.

_He wanted to teach me?_

I could still remember the last time I'd fought against him. He'd beaten me in a matter of seconds, and I was sure it would have been significantly shorter than even that if he'd actually _tried_.

"It's settled then." The captain said with an air of finality. He raised an eyebrow at Jasper and Alice, clearly dismissing them.

"Well, good luck then." Jasper said lamely, taking Alice's hand in his as he left.

Alice's eyes were still wide as she mouthed, _'have fun'_ at me suggestively. I blushed at her insinuation and glared at her as she shut the door.

The captain smirked at me as I struggled to regain my composure.

"Well, what're you waiting for? Pick up your sword." He said, motioning towards my sword that was still lying on the ground.

I shot him an incredulous look before bending down to pick it up. I'd barely straightened up when his sword came down at mine from the right.

I gasped as I managed to shield my arm with my sword at the very last minute, the clash of metal ringing ominously.

My eyes shot up to his. There was no trace of laughter in them now and his smile had long since faded.

_Oh, no_. _What in the world had I agreed to?_

His next blow came down even quicker than the last, aiming at my other side. I met his sword, but struggled to keep it up against the pressure he put.

I let out a small squeal as his next three blows came in quick succession, my sword barely making it in time to catch them. I winced and gripped my sword tightly with both hands.

"Raise your arm." He commanded, giving me no time to even process his words before his sword swung down above my head.

A shriek of surprise escaped my lips as I jumped to avoid his blow, forgetting about the sword in my hands.

"_Meet_ the sword." He snapped, his sword clashing against mine next to my hip.

If I was panting when fighting with Jasper, I was struggling to find any air left in the room when fighting with the captain. He showed absolutely no mercy.

Where Jasper was encouraging, the captain was demanding. Where Jasper was gentle, the captain was rough.

It seemed the captain had elected the _do or die_ method.

I gasped for breath and struggled to meet his blows, missing several times and having to simply jump out of the way. I glanced up at him to see that he was far from exhausted or even tired.

There was a lightness in his way of fighting, it was as if there was no physical exertion involved. Each blow transitioned fluidly in to his next one.

Even if I was merely watching and not experiencing this firsthand, I would have been able to recognize his expertise in the area.

I admired his strength and focus when he fought. His entire attention was centered on his sword and where he swung it.

Perhaps mine should have been as well, for I missed the next four blows, jumping quickly out of the way. There were a few narrow misses in which his blade sliced the air mere centimeters away from me.

I yelped when I could feel the air disturbed by his sword next to me. It was unnerving. "Stop, stop!" I cried out, unable to take any more.

His eyes narrowed at my plea and he swung his sword relentlessly at me, taking a step forward with each blow.

I managed to catch his blows weakly with my sword, gasping when I felt my back hit the wall. His sword came up, the side of his blade so close to my neck that I could practically feel the cool metal against my skin.

"Stop," I breathed, my sword slipping out of my trembling hands and falling to the ground. "Please, stop."

His eyes were still narrowed, burning holes through mine. It was almost as if he was annoyed that I'd given up.

A part of me was angry at myself for giving up so soon as well, but I knew that I simply wasn't able to take anymore.

Fighting with Jasper and fighting with the captain were two completely different things, and time couldn't be measured the same with them.

He finally moved back, dropping his sword to the ground. He was still staring at me with piercing eyes and I found myself unable to look away.

"You're tired." He observed.

_And the understatement of the year award goes to…_

I pushed aside my thoughts and simply nodded. I grew slightly annoyed when he continued to gaze at me.

"I get it, alright?" I said, bitterly. "I won't ever be able to fight you. You don't need to prove it anymore."

His eyes narrowed again and he took a step forward. "You think that this was all to prove that you wouldn't be able to fight me?"

I shot him an incredulous look. "Come on, you can't honestly tell me that you didn't do this to prove something to me."

"I did want to prove something." He admitted. "I wanted to prove that you still had ways to go. I wanted to prove that if you don't toughen up soon, the world will swallow you alive."

He glared at me, his voice shaking slightly and betraying his underlying concern.

"I didn't want to prove anything as petty as you never being able to fight me." He spat.

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I knew that he, out of all people, suddenly wanted me to be safe. It had been…stupid of me to assume that he was just trying to prove his own fighting superiority.

He was a pirate captain, for God's sake! Why would he need any stroking of his ego in that department?

I swallowed my pride and took a step towards him. "I'm sorry." I said softly. He slowly turned to meet my gaze. "I didn't mean what I said. I know you didn't want to prove that."

He nodded, the muscle in his jaw still ticking furiously.

"I was just…confused." I admitted. "I didn't know why you wanted to train me all of a sudden. I thought I'd made progress with Jasper, then I fight you and all of that's blown to pieces."

He closed his eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You aren't ready." He said. He shook his head and looked up at me. "You think you are. You think you can go out there and fight these men, but you can't."

I frowned.

He studied my expression. "I don't want you thinking you can, either. In the end, it's you that'll get hurt." He said seriously.

"I can manage it." I insisted.

"That's exactly what I was hoping you wouldn't say," He groaned, running a hand roughly through his hair.

"Why?" I asked, truly confused.

"You _think_ you can manage it, but you can't!" He exclaimed, startling me. "You'll be dead in five seconds if they get their hands on you."

I stared at him in shock. I knew what he spoke was the truth. I wasn't ready right now, but that didn't mean that I _couldn't_ be.

He swallowed and shook his head. "Just promise me that you won't go looking for trouble. Don't do anything that will draw attention to yourself, in port or elsewhere."

He looked exceedingly agitated and I knew that the best thing to do right now was to appease him so I nodded.

He exhaled. "Good."

He stepped over the fallen swords and strode through the door, shutting it with a resounding thud behind him as he left, leaving me gaping after him.

~•~

I'd lain awake in bed that night for longer than I cared to admit.

That morning he'd asked me to meet him on the deck, but after our interaction later in the day…did he still want to speak to me?

I knew that _I_ wanted to meet him. Maybe he'd been a little overwhelming when we'd been fighting, but…he cared about me and my safety.

That sort of admission was what I'd wanted from him since day one. Lord knew I'd waited for it long enough.

So, I'd forced myself out of bed and towards the stairs that led to the deck. I took a deep breath and slowly ascended the stairs, not knowing what I'd find on the other side.

I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me when I saw the captain standing next to the wheel, leaning on his arms against the railing. He was facing the sea, his expression pensive.

I walked as quietly as I could towards him.

He tilted his head in my direction, hearing my approach despite my attempted stealth. I bit my lip and came to a stop a few feet away from him.

I hugged my arms close to my chest to keep out the cold wind blowing across the ship.

We stood there for several minutes in silence, him watching the sea and me watching him. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to say. I felt a deep sense of dread that he might decide to not follow what he'd started last night.

"I don't bite, you know." He said finally, turning and crossing his arms against his chest. He stared at me expressionlessly.

I took a few small steps forward, still unsure of what to do. "Are you mad at me?" I asked.

He looked genuinely confused by the question. "Why would you think I'm mad at you?"

"You were…upset earlier." I said, frowning.

"Yes, I was. But not at you." He said.

"Then what were you upset about?"

He sighed, leaning further against the railing as though he wished he could simply fall back in to the ocean. "I was upset about this whole situation. I've already told you that being with me…you compromise a significant amount of safety you enjoyed previously."

"And I told you that that doesn't matter to me." I said firmly.

"Yes, you did. Unfortunately, that doesn't make it matter any less to _me._" He matched my tone and took a step forward, allowing his arms to fall to his sides.

"As far as I can remember, being with you has only made me _safer_," I emphasized. "Have you forgotten how many times have you've saved me?"

"Believe me, a couple of men seeking some extra gold in exchange for your life will be the least of your worries when you're with me." He narrowed his eyes.

"None of that matters to me, though!" I exclaimed, frustration growing within me. "You're always pushing back from this-this-whatever this is!"

"You don't think that in a perfect world, I wouldn't seize this chance?" He demanded.

"Shouldn't the fact that we _don't_ live in a perfect world be all the more reason for us to seize it?" I asked, close to tears now. "Who knows what could happen tomorrow?"

He closed his eyes tightly. "Nothing will happen tomorrow." His voice was rough when he spoke. He took a deep breath and looked back at me. "I know what you're saying. It's what I've been battling with for the past few hours."

"And what have you concluded?" I asked softly, already prepared for him telling me that this would never work.

"I've…" He hesitated. "I've decided to give this a chance."

He smiled wryly at my shocked expression. "You have?" I said dumbly.

He nodded. "I'm sick of not enjoying anything," He swallowed. "I…I enjoy you."

I could feel my heart beat furiously inside my chest and there were a hundred things I was dying to say, but I kept quiet because I wanted to hear _him_.

"Believe it or not, last night was the most fun I've had in…" He laughed, running a hand along his face. "God, as long as I can remember."

I stepped forward and took his hand in mine. I found that I was becoming more and more brazen every day. But I couldn't help myself, I wanted to feel his skin against mine.

He glanced down at our joined hands and rubbed his thumb along my knuckles as though memorizing their shape. He tugged me closer and moved his other hand up my free arm, where my muscles were still sore.

"Was I too rough with you, love?" He asked, his fingers gently massaging my biceps.

I chuckled. "Maybe a little."

He smiled ruefully. "I was trying to make a point, I guess."

I nodded and took a step closer. "I know."

He smiled impishly and ceased his massaging to move his hand down to my waist and pull me closer. He rested his forehead against mine.

"Forgive me?" He murmured, his cool breath washing across my face. I closed my eyes against the sensation and nodded.

_He could have asked me anything at that point, and I knew that my answer would have still been 'yes'._

I heard him chuckle slightly before leaning down to seize my lips.

All thoughts flew out of my head when his soft flesh connected with my own. His lips were surprisingly gentle when contrasted with the rough callouses on his hands.

He was curious and probing in his actions, gripping my waist closer to him as his tongue entered my mouth.

The hand that had held my hand now moved upwards to cup the side of my face. I sighed in to his embrace, clutching the hand that was at my waist with one hand, while the other drifted upwards to rest against his broad shoulder.

I never knew that one could feel this way.

This kind of passion and intimacy had been completely unknown to me. I'd never known why people kissed before, nor had I seen much of it.

I'd seen enough of it at port, and now I knew why people were so eager to do it. It was…incredible.

It sent a rush of sensations throughout your body. Heat pooled everywhere and there was this growing reluctance to let go.

Only when it felt as though I'd depleted my storage of oxygen, did I pull away from his enticing lips.

And even when I did, I stared greedily at his lips that were slightly swollen. I raised a hand to touch my own lips in wonder, feeling the same swelling there.

I looked up at his eyes to see him staring down at me with an expression of what could only be described as lust. It made my heart race and my thoughts immediately drifted back to the feeling of his hand running down the center of my chest, so close to my breasts…

"What are we doing?" I breathed, trying desperately to shake those thoughts away from my mind.

"I thought that was quite clear." He murmured pulling me with him as he leaned against the railing, running his nose along the line of my jaw.

I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck, sighing against his tall form.

His hands drifted from my waist down to…

"Edward!" I squealed, grabbing his hands as they grabbed hold of my backside.

"What?" He laughed as I moved his hands back up to my waist.

"Don't do that!" I protested, though unable to keep a straight face.

"Why?" He grinned, tugging me closer to him.

"Because, it's…it's indecent." I said finally.

"So?" He shrugged. "No one's watching, are they?"

"No, but…"

"Isabella, the things I want to do to you right now easily breach _indecent_." He said, his eyes growing darker with lust.

I inhaled sharply, my eyes meeting his with trepidation. I knew that no matter what he did or said, I would end up following with it.

I was simply unable to resist him.

But I didn't want to go too far so quickly. Did he expect that of me? I knew that men were with wenches for merely a night, but I couldn't…

"I have to ask," He finally spoke, and I pushed my thoughts aside. "How long were you and Black engaged before you ran away?"

My brows furrowed at his question, not sure why he would bring that up right now. "Why?"

He suddenly looked annoyed. "Just answer the question, Isabella."

I shook my head. "My parents told me about it the night that I left."

"And you hadn't encountered Black very often before the proposal?" He demanded.

I suddenly understood what he was asking. He wanted to know if I'd been intimate with Lord Black.

"I've never been with Lord Black privately." I told him softly.

His face relaxed and he exhaled. "Good. Or I'd have more incentive to kill him."

I laughed softly. "Just a few days ago, you were ready to offer me to him on a silver platter."

He shrugged. "And now, I'm not."

"No, you 'enjoy' me now, don't you?" I teased.

He smiled softly down at me. "I do. I enjoy you very much."

I leaned my head against his hard chest, hearing his heart thump slowly beneath the layer of flesh muscle and bone.

"I enjoy you, too."

**AN: A lot of you were worried about what Edward's reaction was going to be in the morning, so I hope I put you all at rest! He's not a bad guy, don't be too tough on him. ;)**

**The reaction to the last chapter was PHE-NO-ME-NAL! and it's all thanks to you lovely reviewers (you make my day/year/life): RainDanceTammy, KhristenHartgrove, Sweety12345, Girl-on-moon, Sbf1966, chris1970, SarahCullenxxx, LiLi82, Sleepinthegarden, Night script, MIS love Twilight, TwilightIsGreat, shaz308, haylee21, Paliaya, fallingsnow87, AllThereReallyIsToIt, Tach8, mayejrmorris, B3ACHGURL99, LadyTx, beener0701, xXxKirenxXx, SolaceInSilence21, Mz-Star, Azlady2003, DodgerMcClure, MissFictionJunkieUnknown, aAnnalise, suzy 2010, dipsydoodle, stephi910, royalblueheiress, gypsy755, xrissyjax, The Great Katabawa, AstridGreenEyes, ILoveEdward76, krmyers10, icrodriguez, ratih choco, Creampuf99, cbmorefie, Amberkey, LuckiLuci, lizz9, TheAlleyKat, amberkey, xosummerxo, vampyrelover2, kate, abbydog26, Valentine Rain, m0t0b33, madness16, Debbie White, alc219**

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**M-J**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

**BPOV:**

"Edward!"

"What?"

"What are we doing down here?" I demanded.

We were in the galleys, Edward having dragged me down here after insisting that he knew what we needed to make the night complete. My biggest fear was that someone might come down here for a midnight snack and discover us.

After all, we had agreed to keep us a secret.

"_Edward!_" I cried again, with no little amount of frustration when he didn't answer me. He'd pulled me in to the storeroom in the back, his eyes browsing the contents of the shelves.

He turned back to me with an amused smirk adorning his face. "Patience, love, I believe it's a virtue. Besides, any more of your screaming and you'll wake the crew up yourself."

I scowled at the back of his head as he turned back to the shelves. He was easily the cockiest man I'd ever met.

And that was saying something, considering the fact that I'd grown up amongst the richest and least humble in all of England.

I huffed angrily and tugged my hand away from his. Crossing my arms against my chest, I watched impatiently as his eyes scoured every inch of the shelves.

Eventually he placed his hand in to an empty space on the shelves, his hand pushing against the wall. My first thought was that he'd gone stark-raving mad. _What_ _was he thinking, trying to move a solid wall?_

My jaw dropped, my impatience giving way to astonishment as - lo and behold - the wall slid backwards with his hand.

"What in the _world_…?" I breathed, stepping closer to him.

His smirk widened and he stopped moving the wall, digging his hand in to the side of the compartment. "My secret stash." He explained, withdrawing a large bottle of..._rum?_

"Rum." I stared at him incredulously.

He raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Can't trust these bastards with my rum. Have to make sure that I always have it in stock."

"You could hide anything in there. _Anything_. Jewelry, gold, books…but you choose _rum_?" I asked him, still unable to mask my disbelief.

"Nothing more important to a man than his rum." He deadpanned. His eyes were twinkling with amusement. This was a side to him that I'd seen little of.

I liked it.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I thought you weren't a heavy drinker."

He shrugged. "I'm not. But a man has his cravings."

"And you have cravings tonight."

"No."

"So you came all the way down here to…wait, what?" I furrowed my brows at him.

"I don't want rum tonight." He shook his head, biting his lip to contain his amusement.

"Then, what…?" I stared down at the bottle in his hands, then narrowed my eyes at him. "What in God's name are you planning, Edward Cullen?"

He laughed and walked towards me. "Tonight, you're going to try some."

My eyes widened. "What? No! I've tried it already, remember?" My mind went to that night in the tavern and the God-awful burning sensation of the rum as it slipped down my throat.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. That was one time. And don't think I've forgotten how much coughing was involved. You need to get used to it, love."

"This is ridiculous!" I laughed. "I don't _need_ to get used to alcohol."

He shot me a somber look. "If you're a pirate, you do. No man's going to respect a pirate that can't hold their rum."

"I'm a _woman_. No one cares about whether a woman can drink or not."

He raised an eyebrow. "You seemed pretty intent on proving that a woman could drink too that night." He pointed out.

Heat rose to my face when I realized that he had a point.

"Well-that is-I-hmph."

He watched, with mock patience, however barely containing his amusement. When I failed to come up with a response, he grinned.

"Let's see if you can do this again, shall we?" He opened the bottle and stuck it out in my direction. I just stared at him. "What?"

"Well, aren't you going to give me a mug or a glass or something?" I asked, still not too pleased with the task placed in front of me.

"A mug or a glass?" He looked amused. "Just chug it, love."

"Straight from the bottle?"

_He had to be joking._

"Now you're just stalling. Drink the damn thing!" He chuckled, forcing the bottle in to my hands.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'll drink till here." I said, sliding my finger down until about a quarter of the bottle was above.

"Brilliant. Write me when you actually drink it, will you?"

Ignoring his sarcasm, I steadied myself and took a deep breath, staring at the bottle. I raised it to my lips and closed my eyes, tilting the bottle back.

No amount of steadying could have prepared me from the rush of the stinging liquid down my throat. I choked slightly, but forced myself to keep drinking.

I heard the captain's chuckling in the background when I finally lowered the bottle, grimacing.

I would never get used to it. I had no idea why people would voluntarily put _that_ down their throats.

I raised my eyebrow challengingly at the captain, thrusting the bottle in his direction. He smirked and accepted it, taking a small sip from it himself.

"Well done." He conceded, raising the bottle to eye-level. The liquid was halfway gone.

_I'd drank more than I had to._

"I must admit," He continued. "Watching you drink is quickly becoming one of my favorite pastimes."

His smirk widened when I shot him a confused look. He snaked his free arm around my waist and quickly stole a kiss.

His lips were soft but confident against mine, sending pleasurable shocks throughout my body. Before I could even think about kissing him back, he pulled away.

My lips involuntarily followed his, my head leaning towards him. He chuckled at the action and I blushed.

He placed the bottle on a shelf and turned back to me.

"You taste better than rum." He commented with a wink.

I rolled my eyes, trying my best to calm my racing heart. "Wonderful. Good to know that I rank higher than a cheap beverage."

He grinned. "I would have never thought you to be this cheeky when you first came on my ship. You were so scared, I thought that you'd fall over if I shot you a mean look."

"What other look could you have given?" I shot back, surprising myself.

He was right. I _had_ gotten cheeky.

His eyes widened but his grin remained in place. "You've got to be the first person to insult me and live to tell the tale. I've tossed men off this ship for less, you know."

"I'm not a man."

"No, you most certainly are not." The grin fell off his face, replaced by an expression I couldn't identify as his eyes roamed…below my neck.

Heat rose to my face. I still wasn't too comfortable with _this._ It was completely new to me and I was scared I was going to do something wrong.

And he was _still_ staring at me.

I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but before I could get a word out, he lowered his mouth to mine. His hands cupped my face, securing my lips to his.

Once more I was left to wonder how his hands and his lips could be such contrasts in texture. His hands were rough and worn, but his lips were softer than the freshest petals.

This kiss was rough - rougher than before - and quickly had my head spinning as I tried to keep up. He quickly sucked my bottom lip in to his mouth, running the tip of his tongue along the length.

I whimpered softly against him at the feeling, gripping his forearms tightly to keep myself from falling over. He slowly walked me backwards, his lips never leaving mine.

I blindly allowed him to push me against the wall of the storeroom. His hands quickly left my face and moved down to my hips, gently massaging them.

I pulled my mouth away from his, gasping for air while his lips kissed their way down the side of my face and to my neck. I moaned embarrassingly loudly when his tongue traced the line of my throat.

His hands slipped around to boldly grasp my backside.

I gasped. "Edward!" It was meant as a reprimand, but came out rather as a breathy moan.

My moan only became louder when his fingers kneaded my flesh, pressing his own hips firmly against mine. My eyes shot open when I felt his…_hardness_ press against my stomach. It was huge!

I froze.

"Edward…?" I had no idea what to do.

He noticed my hesitation and pulled his lips away from my neck, looking down at me. "What's wrong, love?" He murmured, pushing my hair behind my ears.

"I…you…your…" I stuttered incoherently, struggling not to let my eyes wander blatantly to his…manhood.

He cocked an eyebrow at me, apparently understanding what I was failing to put in to words. "Surely, you know what it is."

"I do." I scowled, trying to hide my embarrassment. "It's just…I've been taught…"

His eyes relaxed in understanding, but his face became surprisingly expressionless. "I know what you've been taught." He said.

"My Mother would say that…only wenches do _that_ before marriage." I told him quietly.

Would doing this with Edward mean that I was a wench? I could already hear my Mother's voice in my head screaming at me to save myself until marriage.

But the captain was probably used to having intercourse with women. If I didn't let him have it with me, would he perhaps seek it with another?

The thought made my stomach do uncomfortable flip-flops.

Edward furrowed his brows in annoyance. "Do you know the definition of a wench?"

I looked at him, confused. _What did that have to do with what we were talking of?_

"A wench is a woman who has sex with multiple men for money." He said bluntly, not waiting for me to answer. "You aren't having sex for money, and you _certainly_ aren't going to have it with multiple men."

He stared straight at me, his thumbs rubbing the skin underneath my eye. "No matter what, you will _never_ be a wench. I won't let that happen."

I didn't fully understand the depth of his words, but the intensity of his stare and the strength of the promise behind his words was enough to warm my entire body.

I offered him a small smile, which he returned before capturing my lips once more. This time I freely allowed him to invade my mouth with his tongue.

I reached up tentatively and ran my hands through his hair, the tips of my fingers scraping against his scalp. He groaned and immediately pressed against me again.

The feeling of his hardness still shocked me a little because of its surprising size, but I didn't recoil as I had previously. Instead, I kissed him back, meeting his tongue with my own.

"That's it, love." He murmured against my lips, his hands moving down my hips and to my thighs. He tugged gently at them, pulling them upwards so that I could wrap them around his waist.

I gasped at the completely new sensation of his manhood rubbing directly against my most intimate part. He gripped my waist tightly, pushing me against the wall to maximize the sensation.

We both moaned loudly when our lower halves met…perfectly. I let my head fall back against the wall, feeling a sense of euphoria rushing through me.

Edward showered kisses across my throat, never ceasing his thrusting. I struggled to keep up with him, my breathing labored.

Pushing me further against the wall to keep me balanced, his fingers fumbled with the buttons to my shirt, undoing them as best as he could. He got through three-fourths, but never pushed aside the cloth to reveal my breasts. He seemed content to merely admire the skin in between. Gripping my waist once more, he lowered his lips to kiss my cleavage.

That, combined with the feeling of his manhood against my sex elicited the loudest cry from me yet.

His thumbs brushed against the sides of my breasts, sending goosebumps throughout my body. I already knew that my nipples were embarrassingly visible through my shirt.

I had no idea what was happening to me. This experience was by far, the most…thrilling I'd ever had.

I'd never known that one could feel such pleasure.

My hands slipped down to the collar of Edward's shirt, gripping it tightly. "Edward," I whimpered against him. "What are you doing to me?"

He straightened up slightly, his eyes boring in to mine as he rested his forehead against mine. "Shh." He brushed my lips with his, before thrusting in to me forcefully two more times.

I reached my limit.

I let out a wanton cry, clinging on to Edward desperately as I was ushered in to the most _erotic_ experience of my life. My head fell back against the wall and feelings I'd never known to exist filled me from head to toe.

I wasn't sure how long it lasted. It simultaneously felt as if it were a lifetime and mere seconds. All I knew was that when it was over, I was flooded with the most delirious happiness.

I slowly tilted my head back down, exhaling an excited, but tired laugh with my eyes still closed. I felt Edward gently peck me on the lips before lowering me to the ground.

I still held on to him because my legs felt shaky. I slowly opened my eyes and looked up at him in wonder.

His eyes still held lust in them as he watched me come down from my euphoric state. His lips were red and slightly swollen from the kissing, as I'm sure mine were.

"What was that?" I asked him, my voice coming out breathier than intended.

"That," He responded, taking a slow step away from me so that I wasn't pushed against the wall. "Is what noble women hide from their daughters."

I let out a shaky laugh and nodded. "I-I liked it."

He smirked. "I can tell." He stared pointedly at where my hands were still gripping the collar of his shirt.

I blushed and immediately released his shirt from my death-grip. I smoothed the shirt across his broad shoulders.

I smiled up at him, still foolishly happy. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. I heard him chuckle in to the top of my head, wrapping his arms around my waist.

My eyes widened when I suddenly felt his manhood still pressing against my thigh.

I pulled back and stared at him, confused.

"Why are you still…?" I couldn't understand why I'd had that…experience and he was obviously still not there. Why had he stopped?

He shook his head and shot me a reassuring grin. "I'll have _that_ a little later, love. You're not ready for it yet."

I frowned.

"What do you mean I'm not ready? I can take it!" I insisted.

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "A couple minutes ago, you didn't seem so sure."

"I trust you." I told him.

He shook his head. "Bella, it's not a matter of trust. Now is just not the time." He said firmly.

"I don't understand."

He sighed. "I'm not going to have you for the first time in the back of a dusty storeroom."

I bit my lip, still a little disappointed that he wouldn't let me give to him what he'd given me.

He sighed again and tilted my chin up with his forefinger. "Bella, don't dwell on it," He pleaded. "Baby steps, love."

He leaned in and kissed me lightly. He pulled away and smiled wryly at me. "You better fix that up." He motioned towards my half-open shirt.

I blushed and hastily buttoned it back. When I was done, he held out his hand for me to take.

"It's late," He said. "I'll walk you to your room."

I took his hand and reluctantly allowed him to lead me out of the galleys. We quietly made our way through the hallway, the snores of the crew still audible through the walls.

When we finally reached my room, he stopped before the door. "This is as far as I go." He said quietly, turning to me.

I furrowed my brows. "Why? You've never stopped yourself from coming in my room before."

He merely stared at me.

I felt myself start to panic. "Don't." I pleaded, stepping in to him. I grabbed his face in my hands, forcing his eyes to meet mine. "I can already feel it. You're pulling away, just like you always do. Please, stop."

He closed his eyes and shook his head, but he didn't push away my hands.

_Progress._

"There's nothing wrong with this," I insisted. "Just please, stop pushing me away. You told me that you enjoy being with me. What's wrong with enjoying yourself?"

He sighed. "It's hard." He admitted. "I'm only trying to protect you."

"I would be no less safe if you and me had no relations with each other. At least, this way we don't have to be unhappy."

He took a deep breath and exhaled out his nose. He nodded once and opened his eyes.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He smiled crookedly at me. "I'll stop being a prat."

I laughed. "Well, then I'd better say 'goodnight' before you reconsider that." I pulled away from him after kissing him softly on his rough, stubble-covered cheek.

He winked and backed slowly away from me, down the hallway.

"Goodnight, Isabella."

"Goodnight, Edward."

~•~

Fatigue from sleeping so late two nights in a row had finally caught up to me. I barely registered the noises around me of men getting up and going about their chores.

I'd never thought that the flat pillow and starchy sheets of my bed would be so inviting.

I supposed that Edward had told Alice not to wake me up, considering how late we'd been up. The thought made me smile.

I yawned lazily, stretching my limbs out as far as they would go like a cat. I shifted slowly in my bed, blinking slowly to allow my eyes time to adjust to the light.

The events of last night were still in the back of my head, causing me to giggle softly and bury my head in my pillow. Who could have guessed that I was actually a romantic?

My fingers unconsciously made their way up to my lips. I closed my eyes as I remembered the feeling of his lips and the way they'd played mine.

My chest tightened as I thought of the push and pull of his body as he pressed me against the wall. My fingers moved down to my throat, trying to mimic the feel of his lips.

It was a poor replacement, but simply the memory of him caused my breath to hitch in my throat.

A suddenly familiar ache built up in my lower half. I buried my face further in to the pillow and let out a muffled moan.

I pushed my thighs together, trying desperately to create friction in my center. I had no idea what I was doing, but it seemed my body did.

My fingers took on a mind of their own as they trailed down to my breasts, running lightly along my tightened flesh.

"Oh!" I bit my lip as my fingers pinched my nipple softly.

My other hand trailed down to the ache between my legs and slowly pushed down on the mound. My whole body jerked from the pleasure that shot through me.

I remembered the way Edward's manhood had pressed against me, hitting me just where I needed it, and tried to replicate it.

Once again, it was a poor substitute, but it served me well enough. I touched myself through my breeches, simultaneously never having felt this beautiful and dirty.

I'd never felt this…_in touch_ with my body, but it seemed that I wasn't able to get rid of my Mother's voice in the back of my head, telling me how promiscuous I was being.

Pushing these unwanted thoughts out of my head, I focused on the pleasure that was ricocheting throughout my body.

A wetness that I'd felt even last night was building up in my heated core, steadily driving me mad. I wished Edward were here, his green eyes pushing me towards my pleasure.

I dug my hand deeper in to my sex, my thumb brushing against a particularly sensitive spot. I jerked at the feeling.

I hesitated before rubbing my nipple and newly-discovered area simultaneously. I let out a loud moan, biting my lip so hard that I was afraid I would draw blood.

I rubbed harder against my sex and felt myself slowly reaching that climatic state that I'd felt with Edward last night.

My moans grew steadily louder until I felt my pleasure finally push me off the edge, waves of euphoria crashing through every inch of my body. I collapsed against the bed, simply allowing my feelings to take over.

When the last of the pulses of pleasure were gone, I opened my eyes. And suddenly I felt sinful.

_What in God's name had I just done?_

Was I so desperate to experience pleasure that I'd…touched myself?

I sat up slowly, swallowing in shame. I ran a hand through my hair, untangling the knots as I went. I felt slightly sick.

I found myself wishing that I'd listened to my Mother's voice.

Feeling numb, I got up and walked over to the dirty mirror on the wall. The grime on it only made my reflection even uglier.

The woman I saw was a startling contrast to the beauty I'd thought I had when I was touching myself.

The woman in the mirror had a light sheen of sweat, her hair a complete and utter mess around her face. Everything about her appearance screamed harlot.

It was a far cry from how I'd felt after Edward had pleasured me. Even though it was still _scandalous_, the emotions that had run through me when it'd occurred made me feel as though it were so much more than mere pleasure.

It was a way of expressing feelings.

Now, I'd abused that for my own personal gluttony. If Edward found out about this…I didn't want _anyone_ to think that I was such a hussy, let alone Edward.

"You're such an idiot, Isabella." I whispered to my reflection, my voice strained with emotion.

Since when had I started calling myself Isabella? I'd tried to not even _think_ of myself with that name, because it reminded me too much of home.

It thrilled me when Edward called me Isabella, but I doubted whether there was anything that man could do that _wouldn't_ thrill me.

There was a small knock on the door and I jumped. My eyes widened. _No one could see me like this!_

"Er, just a second!" I called out, knowing that my voice would sound odd and slightly strangled.

I grabbed the washcloth and dunked it in the bucket of water, disregarding the water that sloshed out from either side. I quickly wiped sleep and sweat away from my face.

After yanking my hair forwards and pulling it in to a sloppy braid, I quickly opened the door, expecting to see Alice or even Edward.

Instead, standing in front of me was the shy, blonde-haired cook. "James?"

"Good morning, Miss." He said quietly. "I'm sorry to wake you, but Alice asked me to tell you that it was almost noon."

"Oh, yes." I wasn't particularly surprised that I'd slept in for so long - just a little ashamed. "It's no matter, I was already awake."

He nodded, his blue eyes startlingly docile for a pirate.

We stood in silence for a moment, before I spoke. "Could you tell me where she is?"

"Where who is, Miss?"

_Miss. _It felt odd to be called that. At home I was called '_my lady_', or Isabella. With the crew, I was called Bella.

"Alice," I said softly. I was still wary of frightening him away. "Could you please tell me where she is?"

"She's up on deck." He answered immediately, hesitantly meeting my eyes. "Helping Jasper secure the riggings." Disappointment filled me. I felt so useless. I wanted to help, but I knew nothing about ships. How could I help her secure the…'riggings'?

"If you would like," James went on quietly, noticing my despondence. "You could help me in the Galleys. Lunch has already been served, and it's time to clean up. You could have your...er, breakfast while you're at it."

I smiled at him, surprised that he'd known what I was thinking. "That would be perfect, thank you."

He smiled back hesitantly and nodded. I closed the room door behind me and followed James to the Galleys. It was empty, but piled up on the counter were the plates, bowls, and trays of the crew.

I could sense that James was out of his element. He kept running a hand through his hair and stuttering. It seemed that he wasn't used to giving orders.

"Perhaps, you would like to…er, eat first," He suggested, pushing a plate of bread at me. "Then we can…clean the dishes."

I thanked him and immediately took a large bite of the bread. I was hungrier than I thought.

I hummed in contentment as the food settled in my stomach. I'd grown accustomed to the hardened texture.

James observed me tentatively while I finished the bread and placed the plate along with the other dishes. When I looked at him expectantly, he blushed and gestured at a small bucket of water next to the counter.

"There's a rag in the cupboard over there," He pointed in the far corner of the room. "If you want to get started on the dishes, I'll work on restocking the shelves."

"Of course." I said immediately.

He bit his lip and nodded. "Right, well…I'll see you in a few." He hurried in to the storeroom where the food was.

I blushed when I remembered my rendezvous with the captain in that room just the night before.

Pushing down my embarrassment, I walked over to the cupboard. I bent down and opened it, rummaging through the items till my hand hit…_hair?_

My eyes widened and I pulled out what my hand was touching. I gasped when I saw my wig. The wig that Mrs. Webber had given me so I could stay hidden. The one I'd left in here during my fight with Edward.

_James must have picked it up_, I thought.

My fingers wove through the soft hair-like material. The coarse base of the hair pricked my fingers and I wondered how I'd been able to wear it for so long.

Footsteps came from the direction of the storeroom, stopping abruptly.

"…Miss?" Came James's small voice.

I turned to him, unable to hide my surprise. "You had my wig?" I asked him, gesturing to the object in my hand.

His eyes widened and I knew he hadn't intended for me to find it.

He swallowed and nodded slowly. "You left it here." He offered as way of explanation.

"Why didn't you give it back to me?" I asked, confused.

Suddenly, his whole demeanor changed. My eyes widened as his appearance lost every ounce of timidity I'd seen.

Like scales shedding from a snake, what I now realized to be his mask, fell. He stared coldly at me with no fear. All of his 'fear' was transferred to me, and I gaped at him with bated breath.

"You shouldn't be here." He finally said, with a hard voice and a glare. "Haven't you rich bastards meddled enough in our lives?"

My chest clenched with fear at the venom in his voice. I stared at him fearfully as he moved closer.

"You need to leave this ship. Now. I don't care how." He spat. "You aren't doing us any good."

If I hadn't been so scared, I might have registered the pang of remorse as I realized what he was saying was true.

On shaky feet, I got up. My gaze never left his. I didn't dare pull my eyes away from him for even a second, for fear that he'd attack me the minute I did.

I walked backwards, my hand still clutching the wig.

"Leave that here." He ordered suddenly, staring at the wig in my hands.

I immediately dropped it. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I could barely hear my thoughts.

I walked backwards as fast as I could, my back hitting the door. I fumbled for the door handle.

When my fingers finally found the rough wood, I wrenched it open and flew out in to the hallway. I was half-blind with fear and didn't even register the figure in front of me before I ran in to it.

I looked up and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Edward, oh thank God." My brows furrowed when I noticed his expression. "...Edward?"

He was glaring down at me with so much hatred that I took an involuntary step backwards. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides and a muscle in his jaw was ticking furiously.

_He was...angry at me? What had I done now?_

"E-Edward," I stuttered, forcing myself to step closer to him. "What's wrong?"

"You're asking me _what's wrong_?" He seethed. "You come out of a room with that fucking bastard, you've been lying to me all this _fucking_ time, and you ask me _WHAT'S WRONG_?"

My eyes widened as he grabbed my upper arm in an iron-grip. "Edward," I whimpered in pain. "Please, I have no idea what you're talking about."

All my relief at seeing Edward faded, and I was filled with shock and…fear. I was truly scared of him and the storm raging in his eyes.

"What the bloody hell were you doing in there with him?" He demanded, pointing violently at the door to the Galleys. "Were you in on his little plan as well?"

I was so struck with confusion and fear that I couldn't even process his question. I stuttered incoherently, tears welling up in my eyes from the pain in my arm.

"_ANSWER ME!_" He roared, jerking me roughly.

"I don't know what you're asking." I sobbed, trying desperately to pry his fingers from their grip around my arm.

"Edward!" Alice's shocked voice came from behind him. "Have you lost your mind? Let go of her!"

"Stay out of this, Alice." He snarled. "You have no idea what's going on."

I watched through tear-blurred eyes as her face grew eerily calm. "Edward Anthony Cullen, if you don't let go of that woman right now so help me God, I will destroy everything you hold dear."

He let out a bitter, humorless laugh. "She already has." He spat, looking at me. Nonetheless, he threw me away from him.

My shaky knees gave way as I fell to the floor. I immediately tucked my legs closer, trying to make myself as small as possible. I covered my face with my hands and sobbed unrestrainedly.

I heard Alice fall to the floor next to me and wrap her tiny arms around me. She shushed me gently like I was a child.

More hurried footsteps filled the hallway and I vaguely registered a stunned Emmett and Jasper take in the scene before them.

"What the hell is happening here?" Jasper asked sharply.

Alice's hand mistakenly hit the spot where the captain had gripped my arm and I whimpered. Alice gasped when she saw it and her head immediately whipped towards him.

"Look at what you've done to her!" She glared at him. "Is this how you show affection, Edward?"

"I have no affection for that woman." He snarled. A new wave of tears rushed over to me as if he'd poured salt in an open wound.

_He had no affection for me? What had I done?_

Jasper took in my complete breakdown and the captain's fierce glare, comprehension dawning on him. "You hurt her?" He demanded.

"She deserved it."

Jasper opened his mouth to respond when suddenly the Galley door opened and without looking, I knew that James stepped out. Something that sounded like a growl came out of the captain's mouth and, without warning, James was pinned against the wall by his throat.

Jasper, Emmett, and Alice all called out his name in shock, but he ignored all of them. "You bloody traitor!" He roared, his thumbs pressing in to his windpipe. "I gave you a fucking job, and you repay me by selling all my secrets to _him_?"

James's hands flew to where the captain was gripping him, his breathing becoming labored as he coughed violently. He was clearly suffocating under the captain's grip.

"Edward, what the hell has gotten in to you?" Emmett demanded, moving to pry him off of James, which it seemed only Emmett would be able to do.

Even with Emmett's massive frame, he needed Jasper's help to control the captain's rage and keep him away from James. The captain fought in both their grips, snarling obscenities in James's direction.

James fell back to the floor, but unlike me, managed to stay upright. He clutched his throat, but looked curiously stoic.

"I'll kill you, you fucking bastard!" The captain shouted.

"What the hell…?" Emmett asked, sounding truly baffled.

Jasper glanced down at the captain, panting with the effort he had to exert to hold him back. "Edward, calm the hell down," He said roughly. "And tell us why you're trying to hurt everyone all of a sudden!"

"He's been talking to _him_," The captain spat. "Caius. He's been writing to that bastard since he's been on this ship!"

A slow smirk spread across James's face at the captain's words.

Jasper and Emmett both stared at the captain in shock. "He's…" Jasper looked over at where James was still standing.

"How do you know?" Emmett asked, still sounding a little confused.

The captain dug roughly in to his breeches and pulled out a crumpled letter. He thrust it at Emmett. "Read it. He's been writing to him for God knows how long."

Emmett opened it up with blatant reluctance, his eyes widening as he read it. "…Bloody hell."

He looked over at Jasper and nodded in confirmation.

"When I get my hands on you, you fucking asshole, you'll wish you were dead!" The captain roared again, lunging towards James only to be stopped once more by Emmett and Jasper.

This only caused James's smirk to widen.

"Edward, stop it!" Jasper ordered roughly, pushing against him. "If he's really been in touch with Caius, then he could have information we need!"

"I don't care about the bloody information, Jasper! I just want my blood!" A vicious and completely foreign snarl ripped through the captain's chest.

I'd never seen the captain this angry before. He'd always been calm. He usually fought with ice. I'd never seen him in this state of complete fury before.

I shrunk back in to Alice's grip.

"Are you going to kill me, Edward?" James taunted, straightening up. My eyes widened. Was he crazy, trying to anger the already irate captain?

"I'll do worse." The captain promised, still fighting Jasper and Emmett.

"Are you sure?" James raised an eyebrow. "After everything I've done for you?"

"What the fuck have you ever done for me?" The captain spat.

James smiled, though it held no joy. "If you read that letter properly, you'd realize that everything I wrote was a _lie._"

The captain stopped fighting Emmett and Jasper, staring at James with serious suspicion. He grabbed the letter from Emmett's hands and quickly read through it.

His brows furrowed minutely, but when he looked up at James, his face was completely devoid of emotion. "Why?" He asked simply.

James smirked and cocked his head to the side. "Don't you remember me, Edward? Or have you pushed your past so far down that you can't recognize your own cousin?"

Everyone froze. All eyes in the room shot to the captain who, for the first time since I'd known him, looked dumbfounded.

"You…"

"I know that I can't fully right what my Father's done, but I'd bloody well like to try." James said seriously, taking a step forward.

"But he's your Father. Why would you lie to him for me?" The captain asked, staring at him in disbelief.

James's expression turned stormy. "The bastard stabbed my Mother when she tried to stop him from hurting your parents."

"Aunt Irina…" The captain muttered.

"She's dead." James said shortly. "You weren't the only one who experienced loss that night, Edward. I lost my parents, too."

The captain shook his head. "This is ridiculous…"

"I ran away," James continued, ignoring the captain's dumbstruck muttering. "I've been through everything you have. I want revenge, too. I saw you in port one day, and I knew that you would never have let it go. I went to Caius because I knew that he was paranoid about you killing him. Just as I suspected, he wanted a spy."

"Then you asked me for a job." The captain rubbed his temples.

"I've been feeding him lies under the pretense of helping him for the past year, now." James said, almost conversationally. "This way, he doesn't hire a _real_ spy, and I get my own revenge when you're ready to kill him."

Silence filled the hallway as everyone processed what had just been revealed. Identical expressions of shock filled everyone's faces.

Slowly, the captain turned to face me. "Then, you didn't…you weren't…" His eyes filled with comprehension. "Oh, God…"

James's eyes followed the captain's with disdain. "You have to let her go." He said suddenly.

The captain's head snapped towards him. "What?"

"Don't you see?" James demanded, walking towards him. "She's holding you back! I've seen the way you look at her, and she's just a fucking distraction. Let her go, and not only will you have your mind back in the game, but you'll have her Uncle off your back, too!"

Suddenly, I understood everything. I understood why he'd been so angry at me and why he'd hid my wig. He thought that if I wasn't wearing my wig, then the men my Uncle had sent would find me.

"Oh my…" I murmured faintly, feeling slightly light-headed.

The captain suddenly turned angry again. "You're the reason why she was running out of there, aren't you? Have you been fucking threatening her?"

"You need to let go of her." James said simply.

"Don't you dare tell me what I need to do!" The captain seethed, taking a step forward. "I'll keep her on this ship for as long as I fucking want."

James glared right back at the captain before his eyes flickered to me. "Fine. Do whatever you want. But mark my words, she'll be your downfall. It's already happening."

Without a second glance at me, he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway and around the corner.

A heavy silence fell once more upon the rest of us. We were still in shock, not only from the revelation that James had been hiding this information for so long, but also from seeing him so brash with the captain.

"What the bloody hell just happened?" Emmett asked loudly, breaking the silence.

Jasper simply shook his head, looking flabbergasted. He turned to the captain. "…Edward? You alright, mate?"

He didn't reply to him. He turned around, staring at me with a desperation that I'd never seen before.

"Bella…" His voice was raspy from shouting. I cringed away from him when he tried to reach for me.

But I needn't have worried. "Don't you dare, Edward." Alice snarled, tightening her arms around me protectively.

"But, Alice-"

"_No._ You hurt her. You don't have the right to touch her right now. I don't care what the hell you were thinking in that bizarre mind of yours, but _nothing_ gives you the right to do what you just did." Alice's voice was firm, and I felt a huge wave of love for the small woman wash over me.

"I…I know." His voice was pained, which surprised me.

Hadn't he just said a few minutes ago that he had no affection for me?

"But I need to talk to her, Alice." The captain begged. "I didn't mean to hurt her, I just thought-"

"I know what you thought." She snapped. "And you should have known better than to doubt her like that."

He exhaled gruffly. "The letter was outside her room…I just immediately thought that she had something to do with it."

"I told James to go wake her up, Edward." Alice glared. "It must have fallen out of his pocket."

"I didn't know." He sounded truly miserable.

"Well, that's just too bad, isn't it?"

Jasper sighed and clapped a hand on the captain's shoulder. "Give her time, mate. Come on, it's best to leave her alone right now."

I silently thanked Jasper as he and Emmett escorted the captain away from us. When the corridor was finally silent, their footfalls having disappeared, Alice turned to me.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly, her eyes staring at me with sympathy.

I nodded and swallowed slowly. My eyes felt puffy from all the crying I'd done and my arm was still throbbing, but I wasn't going to tell her that.

"Edward doesn't express emotions very often, but when he does, it's often in the extremes." Alice tried to explain quietly. "You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Bella."

"No, Alice, I wasn't." I whispered. "He doesn't trust me, and I understand. I wouldn't trust me."

Alice smiled gently. "Yes, you would. You trust everyone."

I smiled back ruefully. "It's not a good thing."

"Yes, it is, Bella." Alice insisted. "You have no idea how hard it is to find such a genuine person in our world. You're very special. I think that's what made Edward doubt whatever it is you two had."

A sudden burst of pain swelled in my arm and I winced audibly. Alice's eyes immediately focused on my arm.

"Oh, it's already bruising…" Alice said softly, shaking her head. She stood up and stretched out her hand for me to take. "Come on, I have a salve for bruises in my room that'll reduce the pain."

I took her hand and followed her, silently wishing she had a salve for my heart as well.

~•~

Alice ordered me not to move an inch for the rest of the day. She tucked me in bed with the salve rubbed deeply in to my arm.

Around six in the evening, she brought a bowl of thick soup and a plate of grainy bread to my room. She stayed to make sure that I downed every last bite before leaving.

I sent a silent prayer to the Gods for gifting me with such an amazing friend. I'd never known someone to be so utterly selfless, and it touched me to no end. I just hoped that no matter what happened, I'd never lose her.

I dozed off shortly after eating and when I woke up, night had fully fallen upon the ship. I frowned when I heard soft footsteps next to me.

"Alice," I mumbled without opening my eyes. My words came out slightly slurred. "What're you doing here? Go to sleep, I'm fine."

I felt the bed sink slightly next to me. "I'm not Alice."

My eyes shot open, all traces of sleep leaving me. The captain sat next to me, his face weary and his eyes full of remorse.

I immediately flinched backwards, putting as much space between him and me in the bed as I could.

"No, Bella, stop. I'm not going to hurt you." He pleaded, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek.

I held back a whimper as his fingers traced my cheeks gently. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping and praying that he would disappear.

I couldn't talk to him right now.

Not when my heart was so fragile.

His fingers slipped down my neck and to my arm where the salve had long since seeped in to the skin. He exhaled harshly, presumably at seeing the bruise.

"What the hell have I done?" He murmured angrily to himself. "Bella, please, look at me."

I swallowed, slowly opening them, still unable to deny him anything despite what had happened.

His whole demeanor seemed simply…deflated. There was no trace of that cocky, smirking man from yesterday.

"I have absolutely no idea what I could say that would make up for what I've done," He said quietly, tracing my skin softly. "'Sorry' doesn't seem good enough, but I'll say it anyway: I'm so sorry, Bella. I don't expect you to accept my apology, but just know that I truly am. I have never regretted anything so much in my life."

He sighed angrily. "I hurt everything I touch. I promised myself that I'd never let anyone hurt you, and in the end, they didn't have to. I did it myself."

I couldn't speak. I simply listened to him numbly.

His fingers trailed down to my wrist and fiddled with the bracelet that he'd bought for me. "If you ever decide to give me a second chance, I'll be waiting." He looked directly in my eyes, his green eyes still having the ability to make my heart race. "I'll always wait for you."

He leaned down and pressed his lips first to my arm, then my cheek, and briefly to my lips. He ran his hand along the side of my face gently, before getting up and leaving.

The door shut softly behind him, leaving me with tears in my eyes for the second time that day.

**AN: So, this was pretty much a 'shit, meet fan' chapter, huh? Don't hate me! Everything has a reason, I promise. So what do you think? Should Bella forgive Edward? Should Edward grovel a little more? What about James? Can he be trusted, or not?**

**Thank you all to you wonderful, amazing, mind-blowing, spectacularly loyal reviewers! You make my day/year/life: KhristenHartgrove, RainDanceTammy, m0t0b33, SarahCullenxxx, MsApricot90, dipsydoodle, SempreLove, Amberkey, mayi84, The Great Katabawa, LadyTx, stephi910, MIS love Twilight, Girl-on-moon, haylee21, tereses24, Sadie1787, krmyers10, Mz-Star, LiLi82, xrissyjax, gypsy755, vampyrelover2, Paliaya, suzy 2010, amberkey, B3ACHGURL99, mayejrmorris, cbmorefie, adatenoway, Daisy Grace, ADADancer, ILoveEdward76, mfield05, royalblueheiress, natashar, Love-RiniBell-Love, fallingsnow87, pinkmermaid96, Chezel, ratih choco, asha, Valentine Rain, aAnnalise, icrodriguez, shaz308, Azlady2003, MaryMary123, whisperwind1886, OnlyaCriticalReader, LaSpia, Snow, LittleMissPessiMisc, robsmom, TheAlleyKat, jadedghost22, Camis, texasangel75, ecullen10, LuckiLuci, sujari6, Chugga, Kamikazi13, , hlsmith, littlelizruth, moonrae, amazed fan**

**Wowowowowowow. I was so amazed with the reaction to the last chapter. Honestly, color me speechless. I know that this chapter took a long time, but I was dealing with serious writer's block…I promise that the next chapter will not take NEARLY as long as this one did. **

**Review, review, review and I'll see you next time!**

**M-J**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

**EPOV:**

I didn't even bother to attempt sleep that night. I knew it wouldn't come.

The sea was calm and still, as if it were mocking the turmoil within me. The wind was gentle too; it must have been conspiring with the sea in turning me in to a joke.

_Conspiring_.

I vaguely remembered thinking that exact same word to describe what I thought Isabella was doing. My stomach clenched and I had to grip the railing tightly to keep the storm inside me from exploding out.

For a period - a brief period - of time, I had suspected her. The minute I saw that letter outside her door and had read the name of the addressed…something within me snapped.

Something I couldn't control.

Just like that, the man who was so bloodthirsty for revenge changed from coolly waiting for his opportunity, to seeking out his victim in a blind rage.

_Blind._ It had blinded me. It had blinded me to the fear in Isabella's eyes and to the pain in her expression.

Every time I closed my eyes I saw that fear and I saw that pain. Then the vision shifted and I saw the black-and-blue bruises on her arm.

So I kept my eyes open, fighting sleep and fighting the water that was building up in my eyes as the wind blew gently against my face.

As I continued to stare out at the non-existent waves, my mind took me to a memory from a long time ago. A year, maybe two…maybe even three, for time and memories often blurred together when you were a pirate.

We'd docked at port just that morning. Most of the crew had gone to some brothel, with the few exceptions heading to the ship.

As Emmett had left with a wench just minutes before, and I had no desire to do the same, I made my way slowly back to the ship.

I dug my hands deeply in my pockets and stared out in front of me where the full moon was high in the sky. I enjoyed the slight breeze and the calm of the night.

That was when I heard the scream.

It was shrill and piercing. A woman's voice, no doubt. I immediately stilled and listened, my eyes narrowed.

There was slight scuffling before another gut-wrenching scream disturbed the night. Then I smelt it.

_Blood._

Most people could never have smelt it, but I'd been around blood too much to not be able to identify that familiar iron-laced scent.

For some reason, this scent and that horrible scream made me angry. _Furious._ I listened carefully and hurried after the muffled cries.

I ducked in to an alley and found the source of the cries.

A woman was against a wall, her dress so torn and mangled that it ripped away most of her modesty. A man - whose features I refused to give him the privilege of identifying - was holding her against the brick with his weight.

The woman was sobbing, blood streaming down her face from her broken nose. Her arms were cut and scraped. Every single thing about her appearance lighted within me a fury I hadn't experienced in a long time.

Every sob ripped out of her, every defeated _'please_' uttered reminded me of the atrocities of my childhood.

I snapped.

I vaguely remember the rest of it. My fists flew, and the man…he was dead before the night was over.

He'd barely uttered a word and died a coward.

The woman had thanked me over and over again, but my rage was still controlling my actions so I left before I could do her harm.

I remember my disgusted curiosity over what could _possibly_ compel a man to do such a thing to a woman.

And now I was that man. Hurting women. Hurting Isabella.

Emmett and Jasper had treated me with relative hostility for the rest of the day, and I didn't blame them in the least. I was just surprised they'd left me in tact.

But I knew that neither of them would desert me. They were too honourable for that.

Whether or not I deserved it, I'd chosen two good men to stand by my side.

I'd chosen a good woman too. But I lost her. I just hoped that I hadn't lost her forever.

I needed her.

I turned around, my breaths turning rapid as I leaned against the railing. I gripped my hair roughly, letting out an angry growl at the thought of losing her.

I couldn't. I just couldn't.

"Edward?"

I looked up. "Jasper."

He frowned in concern as I let go of my hair and straightened up. "Alright, mate?"

I exhaled and slowly shook my head. "No."

Jasper shot me a knowing look and slowly walked towards me. We were quiet for awhile, knowing without words what the other was thinking.

When you spent so much time with a person, over time, you realized that silence was often the best way of communication.

I stared down at the wooden floorboards of the ship that I'd poured so much of my life in to. Over a decade had been spent on this ship.

Some would say I was a prisoner of my own creation.

I was a prisoner. But not to _Twilight_, and not to pirating. I was a prisoner to the hatred and anger that I had within me.

Before I met Isabella I thought that I could _only_ be angry or vengeful. All of a sudden, she had me laughing and feeling emotions that I thought were gone.

I'd pushed away the one person who brought out the human in me.

"She's asleep now." Jasper finally said, jerking me out of my thoughts. He rested his forearms on the railing beside me and gazed down at the moon reflected in the water. "It took her awhile, but she's asleep."

My heart clenched and I swallowed, trying to push down the lump that had built in my throat. I silently pleaded for more information.

As always, Jasper knew. "Alice had to go back in a little while after she thought she'd gone to sleep. She was crying."

"Crying?" My voice came out hoarse. The lump grew.

"She was having a nightmare." Jasper explained. "I helped Alice get her back in bed and…" He sighed and shook her head. "Alice stayed with her till she fell asleep again."

Right when I'd thought my pain could dig no deeper within me. What had I done? Why had I brought her in to this world in the first place?

Jasper straightened up slightly and looked over at me. "She called for you."

My eyes snapped up to meet his. "She did?"

He nodded slowly. "I reckon she was talking in her sleep. She was begging you not to leave her."

My fists clenched at the thought of her being hurt…even in her sleep.

"Was she okay?" I asked immediately. "When you left her, was she still hurting?"

Jasper smiled wryly. "I told you, she's asleep now. She's fine."

I shook my head. "I need to see her."

"No."

"Jasper-"

"No!" Jasper shoved me roughly with one hand. "Don't push her. She's been through enough and you messing with her emotions will just make her worse."

I stared at him sorrowfully, not having the energy nor the will to fight back as I would have any other day. "I just want to make her better."

"You want to make her better? Then leave her _alone_." Jasper ordered, his eyes flashing. He roughly let go of my shirt and took a step back. "She's been through enough."

"I. Can't." I spoke through gritted teeth.

"You can't what?"

"I can't leave her alone!" I seethed. "Would you allow anyone to tell you to leave Alice alone?"

"I've never hurt Alice." Jasper glared at me. "There's no reason for me to leave her alone."

"Today was a mistake." I spat, taking a step forward. "You said it long ago that everyone makes mistakes. I don't ever want to hurt her."

"You already did!"

"It was a _MISTAKE_!" I roared, grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"Edward, Jasper!" The voice was sharp and feminine.

We both turned to see Alice glaring at us, her shock hidden by her anger. She turned to me, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Edward, put him down. Now."

My jaw still clenching, I let go of him, taking a step back. I looked up to see him staring right back at me.

"Are you done, now?" He asked silkily.

I took a few calming breaths and nodded roughly. "I'm sorry, mate."

His expression softened slightly. "How long have I known you, Edward?"

I laughed humorlessly. "What, thirteen years?"

He nodded. "Thirteen years since the day I met you. You should know better than to apologize to me."

I swallowed and jerked my head in acknowledgement.

He took a step towards me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "And _I_ know better than to give up on you. You did make a mistake. But you admitted it. As far as I'm concerned, you're halfway there."

He glanced at Alice who slowly grabbed his hand as she made her way to us. He smiled at her and placed a small kiss on her temple.

Alice smiled back at him before turning to me. "You're a good man, Edward. Bella knows that. Give her time, and with luck, you'll have her back soon."

I nodded again, swallowing.

They seemed to notice that I wanted to be alone, because they both quickly bid me goodnight and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

~•~

"How much do you know exactly?" I asked James as he settled himself on the corner of my desk.

He crossed his arms. "Enough." He responded immediately. "Enough to know that he knows more than you think."

I sighed and crossed my own arms. I massaged my temple wearily. "James, just tell me what he knows. I was up half the night and it's just too bloody early."

James smirked. "Did you know that Caius was at port the last time we docked?"

My gaze snapped up to meet his, shocked. "_What?_"

"He was passing through to check up on Aro's granddaughter." James explained.

"Aro, the shopkeeper." I clarified.

James nodded. "Did you know that he's been holding Aro's granddaughter hostage until Aro gives him money?"

I grit my teeth and glared at the floor. "That sounds like the bastard."

"Problem is," James continued. "Aro's going bankrupt himself. Aro was buying all of Caius's things at ridiculous prices to keep Caius on his good side. Look how that worked out for him."

I exhaled harshly. "Well, what happened? He was there, so…?"

"He saw you." James confirmed. "He saw you and your…" He grimaced. "Little friend."

"Bella?" I demanded. "He saw Bella?"

He nodded, barely disguising his disgust. I did my best to ignore it, not in the mood to deal with his attitude right now.

I swore harshly. If Caius knew about Bella…

"How much does he know about us?" I asked James.

"Well, he wouldn't have known anything other than the fact that she was a part of your crew if you hadn't gotten all protective of her the night before we left." James said, his tone slightly accusatory.

"What do you…"

James raised an eyebrow and suddenly I remembered. Those drunken men that were leering at Bella that night. The thought made my fists clench in anger.

"What did you expect me to do?" I growled. "Let those men put their filthy hands all over her?"

James shook his head. "I don't fucking understand you."

"What?" I snapped.

"When I first saw you as a captain, I knew that I'd found the right man to help me fight Caius." James pushed off of the desk and walked towards me. "You were focused, ruthless, and you knew what you were doing. What the fuck happened to that man?"

"He's right here." I glared at him.

"No, he's not." James said matter-of-factly. "He's become some besotted fool who'd throw everything away for a girl."

"I'm not throwing anything away, alright?" I said angrily.

James raised an eyebrow, but backed off. "You're my cousin, Edward. You were my best friend growing up. I just don't want to see you get hurt because you weren't focused enough."

I exhaled slowly and nodded.

In a way, he was right. I knew that Bella had distracted me. Perhaps to an unhealthy level. But I couldn't let her go now.

James placed his hand on my shoulder and met my gaze seriously. "Caius has been determined to keep tabs on us ever since we left port. I can only throw him off for so long.

"We _will_ meet him one day. A while ago, I would have said that we definitely have the upper hand. But now," He hesitated. "I'm not so sure. Just be sure that we're ready, Edward. He ruined our lives once. Don't let him do it again."

~•~

**BPOV:**

"Ow." I grimaced softly.

Alice shot me an apologetic look. "Sorry." She quickly pulled her hand away from the bruise on my arm that refused to disappear.

Wiping away the remaining salve on a wet rag, she shot me a hesitant look. "So it doesn't feel any better?" She asked.

"Oh, it does, I promise you." I rushed to assure her. "It's just a little sore, but that's to be expected, right? You said it'd take time."

She sighed. "That doesn't help us now." She grabbed the small tub of salve and capped it, getting up to place it on the desk before returning.

Her gray eyes were sorrowful as she sat down next to me gently, the fragile mattress sinking under her minute weight. Her unspoken words weighed heavier than she did. I shot her a wry look.

"Out with it, Alice."

A ghost of a smile flickered across her face before her serious disposition returned. "Are you okay, Bella?"

"Of course." I replied immediately, glancing towards the bruise, which indeed, seemed to be healing. "I'll be as good as new in no time."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "I didn't mean the bruise, Bella."

I froze, my eyes slowly meeting hers. She wasn't talking about the bruise, she was talking about the man _responsible_ for the bruise.

The same man that had come to my room last night and promised to wait for me. The very pirate I'd thought to be incapable of feelings such as patience.

I swallowed. "My heart hurts." I croaked out honestly. I let out a humorless laugh. "I never thought my heart could hurt." I offered Alice a wobbly smile.

She saw right through it. "Bella…" She whispered, inching closer to me and wrapping her small arm around my shoulders. "Why are you trying to be strong in front of me?"

I shook my head. "If I don't act strong, I'll…I'll fall apart, Alice."

"Then fall apart." She encouraged. "If not here with me, then where could you?"

Involuntarily, I immediately responded to her words. Heavy droplets of tears fell from both eyes, clouding my vision. I let out a small whimper.

"I miss him. Already. It's only been a few hours and I already miss him." I rambled in to Alice's shoulder.

Alice was silent, her arms merely holding me close to her while I let go. I stopped talking eventually and the only sounds coming out of my mouth were small sobs.

I don't know how long we sat there. Alice, being the incredible person she was, held me the whole time with not the slightest hint towards discomfort.

When the last of my tears had soaked in to the fabric of Alice's shirt, I sniffled and shook my head. "Do you think he hates me?" I whispered.

"Hates _you_?" Alice laughed incredulously. "He thinks you hate him, you think he hates you…The two of you are hopeless."

I let out a watery chuckle. "Then why did he get mad at me?" I asked her softly. "Why was he so sure that I would betray him like that?"

"Edward's never been stable when it comes to his Uncle." Alice explained. "And what he feels for you…I _know_ he's never felt for anyone before."

"Why would that make him angry?" I asked, confused.

Alice smiled and shrugged. "Sometimes it's easier to forgive an enemy than it is to forgive a friend. I reckon that the thought of someone who he cared about as much as you betraying him…set him off."

I pondered that for a minute, acknowledging the truth in it. Of course Alice was right.

The only thing that frustrated me was that, I wanted to be angry at the captain. I _desperately_ wanted to. But I wasn't.

I was wary of him and dead-scared, but I wasn't angry.

I could still remember the day I'd seen the poster of him plastered on the walls of the town, offering rewards for his capture. Even when knowing of his supposed cruelty, I'd thought him handsome.

Above his physical appeal, how could I ever come to think bad of him when I knew how many atrocities he had endured as a mere child?

As drunk as he'd been when he first told me, I'd seen all the vulnerability he'd laid bare. Beneath his rage, there was still that innocent little boy longing for the love of his parents.

Maybe I was looking for something that wasn't there. But how could I turn away from emotions as strong as the ones I felt with Edward?

All of our fights in the beginning and all I'd learned from his blunt reprimands on my naïvety had made me stronger. I felt…equal when I was with him.

It was a feeling woman of proper society weren't expected to feel with a man. They were inferior and no one was to question that.

But with Edward, I felt as if there was nothing tying my feet to the ground. I was free to soar as high as I wanted, but he would always be there to protect me if I fell.

The gentleness of his touches told me as much.

I knew that despite all of his attempts at maintaining a rough exterior, he would never leave me hurt. Then why wasn't he here now?

Why wasn't he here mending what he'd broken? As much as I loved Alice, I wanted Edward to be the one rubbing salve in to my arm.

I wanted him to fix me.

I wanted him.

I wanted…

"Alice."

"Hmm?"

"I think I love him."

~•~

"You know, you really don't have to do this today." Alice insisted for the hundredth time as she reluctantly handed me a mop in the galleys.

I shot her a small smile. "It'll help distract me from…other things."

Alice caught my meaningful look and nodded with a sigh. "Fine." She made to leave when a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye caught her attention.

"Well, look who's out of her room." My stomach dropped and I turned to face a sneering James. "Finally decided to grace us with your presence?"

"James." Alice warned sharply.

His eyes flickered to her briefly before settling once more on me. "Quit defending her, Alice. She's part of the crew, isn't she? Does anyone else get to wake up whenever they want?"

"When they're hurt, yes." Alice defended, coming to stand beside me.

James scoffed. "Get over it, Princess." He told me, glancing at the arm where my bruise was even though it was covered by my shirtsleeve.

"_She_ wanted to work, James. She asked to help. _I _was the one telling her to take it easy." Alice once more came to my rescue. Her glare would have sent any sane man running.

James merely rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter. Alice slowly turned to me.

"Are you sure you're okay with me leaving you here?" She asked worriedly, sending an apprehensive glance in James's direction.

"Alice, of course." I said with a soft smile. "You go on. You have your own work to do and I don't want to keep you behind."

After a bit more persuading and a final glare in James's direction, Alice finally left. The minute she did, the galley was filled with an uncomfortable silence.

James didn't move, yet I could feel his gaze on me.

I cleared my throat awkwardly before slowly dunking the mop in to the bucket of water that Alice had left me. Draining it against the side of the bucket, I set off to work on the dirty floors.

As I worked, I recalled my conversation with Alice after I'd told her about my feelings for the captain.

She'd responded with an understandable amount of shock, however she'd also responded with a curious amount of ease as though she'd expected it to happen one way or another.

When I asked her what she thought I should do about it, she'd advised me to wait. She said that things would play out the way they should if I just let fate run its course.

I trusted her.

She'd helped me so far and it would be doing her a disservice I didn't do as she suggested now.

"What exactly are you playing at?" James's sudden words jolted me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at him warily. "Sorry?"

"What. Are. You. Playing. At?" He repeated slowly as if I were a child.

I shook my head with a frown. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You're the daughter of a Baron, you run away from a marriage to a Lord, and your rich Uncle has sent all of his men to find you. Quite an elaborate backstory, don't you think?" He eyed me suspiciously.

I was slightly surprised at how much he knew about me, but I figured that if he knew everything else, then surely, he would have found out about this as well.

I didn't want to be scared of him. I'd been scared for too long and I was sick of it.

"And now I'm on a pirate ship, fraternizing with the crew, and cavorting with the captain." I finished. "It's not a backstory. It's my life, ridiculous as it may sound."

He raised an eyebrow. "Not so demure now, are we?"

"I have no reason to be." I said boldly, but quietly. I continued to mop.

He walked towards me slowly. "Do you care for Edward?" He asked bluntly.

I glanced up at him sharply. "I don't see why I should reveal that to you. Especially considering how you've been treating me."

He narrowed his eyes. "He's my cousin. I think I have a right to know."

"If you have a right to anything, it's to ask _him_ whether he cares for _me_. I have no relation to you and you have no right." I surprised myself once more with my confidence.

He smirked but it was void of humor. "I'd be careful if I were you. You may be bold enough to speak those words, but you have no power to defend them with your actions. Now, do you care for my cousin?"

I heard the threat behind his words and I decided against letting my temper lash out once more. "Yes." I said quietly.

He nodded. "Good. Then you'll want the best for him, yes?"

I frowned. "Naturally."

"So you'll leave him alone." James ordered.

My gaze snapped up to his. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Me leaving him alone is the best?"

"All you're doing is getting in the way." James warned. "Stay out of his life so he can get it back on track."

"Back on track?" I cried incredulously, my mop forgotten in one hand. "And by that you mean him hating everyone and everything."

"I just need him to hate one person. If he hates everyone else in the process…collateral damage."

"You make me sick." I spat.

Before I knew it, he'd shoved me in to the wall, my mop clattering to the ground. His other hand raised and I closed my eyes tightly, preparing myself for the blow that was sure to come.

But it never came.

There was a small scuffle and when I opened my eyes, I saw - not James - but Edward standing in front of me.

He was facing James, his hand holding James's raised wrist in an iron-tight grip. Even from the side, his expression was a mask of fury.

"If you _ever_ raise your hand towards her again," He seethed. "I'll gut you on the ground before you can even think 'cousin'. _Do you understand me?_"

James's face was set in a glare, but he nodded slowly. Evidently even he knew not to further irritate the ire-ridden captain.

Edward roughly let go of his wrist, the force of it causing James to stumble back slightly. They glared at each other, neither showing signs of ever backing down.

"Don't you ever fuck with my girl." Edward finally said in a low hiss.

Through my confusion and shock at the course of events, I felt my heart swell at his words. It took everything I could not to throw myself at him that very second.

James's eyes flickered to me before meeting Edward's once more. "You're right." He said quietly. "I…didn't mean for things to get that out of hand. I didn't want to hit her."

Edward's expression softened slightly.

"You know I would never do that." James told him, his eyes for the first time remorseful. "Not after…not after what he did to my Mother."

"I know." Edward said simply.

James turned to me, his eyes not…friendly, but not hostile. They were merely apologetic. An apology for what he was about to do. Not what he'd said.

"I'm sorry, Bella." He said slowly.

I knew that any attempt at speaking would result in something strangled and incomprehensible, so I merely nodded.

He frowned to himself before turning to leave, the galley door shutting firmly behind him. Once more the silence enveloped the remaining residents.

I was alone.

With Edward.

He must have realized the same because his shoulders stiffened slightly. He turned around slowly, his eyes meeting mine.

It was a good thing that I was leaning against the wall, because I would have surely fallen to the ground otherwise. As always, his eyes held so much emotion.

His eyes truly were windows to his soul. Windows that he so often guarded with a stubborn resilience.

They were uncovered now.

He swallowed slowly and I watched, fascinated, as his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. "Bella," He whispered almost reverently.

I looked down to see his fingers slowly reaching for me. I subconsciously leaned in to his touch.

His hand cupped my cheek first, lighting my skin with his touch. It lingered there for a second before moving to the back of my head and gently skimming down my back.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked softly. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Are you sure? He pushed you pretty hard and-"

"Edward," I took a step towards him, frowning slightly. "I'm not hurt."

He exhaled, his eyes flickering between both of mine. He looked torn as though there were so much he wanted to say and do, but he didn't have the courage to do it.

I knew, because it was how I felt too.

"I'm sorry, Bella." He whispered.

I swallowed and nodded. "You told me that last night."

He frowned, a lock of his hair falling in to his eye as he looked at the ground. "I need you to know that despite what I did yesterday…I do trust you."

A part of me wanted to push him away right that instant. That part was aching to tell him that he'd hurt me beyond comprehension and that a simple apology couldn't remedy it.

The other part of me, however, knew that if he had even a fraction of the feelings I had for him, he'd suffered enough. Just as I would never want to hurt him, I knew that he would never want to hurt me.

The latter side won out. "I know." I hesitantly met his eyes.

He looked surprised, taking a hopeful step closer. "Do you still believe in me?"

I couldn't stop the smile from touching my lips. "Yes."

"So…maybe one day, I'll have another chance with you?" His eyes were eager and unlike anything I'd seen on him before.

He wasn't attempting to hide behind his arrogance. Nor was he being condescending. He truly…wanted me.

"Maybe one day." I agreed.

A brilliant smile spread across his face at my response. He immediately took the remaining steps towards me and wrapped his arms around me.

He tugged me to him, his warm body pressed against mine. He bent down slightly and buried his face in to the crook of my neck.

My body responded, a gasp leaving my lips at the feeling of his lips so close to my neck. My hands itched to wrap themselves around his neck and hold him close.

I stopped them.

As much as I wanted everything to go back to normal with Edward and I…I couldn't. I couldn't forget how afraid I'd been of him just yesterday.

The sight of his livid eyes was still burned in to my memory.

Even if I thought I loved him, I needed time. And so did he.

We'd fallen for each other so hard in such little time. I'd never seen true love outside of Jasper and Alice. I didn't know what exactly it was and how it was supposed to be.

Both of our pasts were shrouded in danger. Both of us were…fairly unstable. There was something incredibly special when we were together, but I couldn't let it control us to the point where it would hurt the other.

With great difficulty, I frowned and placed my hands warningly on his forearms. Sensing my discomfort, he looked up with furrowed brows.

I removed his arms from my waist gently. "One day, Edward." I whispered. "Not today."

His eyes clouded in understanding. He took a step back with a frown. He ran a hand through his chaotic hair. He shut his eyes tightly in what looked like pain.

I swallowed down my own hurt. "I'm sorry." I said quietly.

His eyes snapped open. "No, _I'm _sorry, Bella. I'm the one who messed this up." He exhaled heavily and shook his head.

I looked at him sorrowfully. "Edward." I reached up, my fingers tracing the sharp edge of his jaw and cheekbones. "Things happen for a reason."

He looked up at me doubtfully. "Do you really believe that?"

"Well, It brought me to you."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I was forced to run away from my home because my parents arranged my marriage to a complete pig. I thought that I was dealt the worst hand possible." I explained. "But I wasn't. If I hadn't run away, then I would have never met you or Alice or anyone."

Edward's gaze bore in to me. "What are you saying? That something good could actually come of us being apart?"

"Well, you don't really know until it happens, do you?" I tried to rationalize my thoughts for him.

I'd always been a bit of a romantic. Uncle Alec used to call me his 'little dreamer' when I was younger. I believed in fate and its ability to alter life.

I just hoped that I could make Edward see the way I did.

He still looked pained. "Bella, I realize that I messed up, but I promise I'll never do it again. I know you need time, but…I can't just rely on belief to last me through how long you're asking for." He said, his tone pleading.

"Edward," I whispered, my fingers still on his face right under his eyes. "I…I love you." His eyes widened. "I need you to know that. So no matter what happens, you'll know how I feel about you."

His eyes still wide and shocked, he took a step back. My fingers fell from his face as he moved out of reach and a jolt of hurt shot through my chest.

I'd known that he might not take it well…but I thought he had enough feelings for me that he might be able to understand mine. Tears sprung to my eyes but I pushed them down.

"You…you lov…" Edward seemed, for the first time since I'd known him, speechless. "You can't."

"What do you mean I can't?" I frowned.

"You can't love me." He said firmly.

A lump grew in my throat. "And why is that?"

"Because I'll never feel it back." He croaked out. He gazed at me sorrowfully. "Bella, don't you understand? I'll never be able to give you that."

"So, because you think you won't feel it back, I shouldn't feel it either?" I demanded, struggling to comprehend his logic.

"I don't think. I know."

"Don't say that."

"Don't love me."

"Don't say _that_."

"Bella!" He let out a frustrated cry. "I will _never_ feel it. Do you understand me? _Never._"

I stared at him unflinchingly. "Haven't you hurt me enough?" I whispered finally.

He relaxed his stance slightly, his eyes filling with remorse. "It seems I can't do much else."

I shook my head at him, my brows furrowing. "I suppose James is going to get his wish after all."

His eyes narrowed. "James? What are you talking about?"

"He wants you to be the man that I met when I first stepped on that ship." I informed him. "The man that didn't know what _feelings_ were. He just hated blindly."

"People need to stop telling me that I'm someone else now." Edward fumed. "I'm still him."

"No, you're not." I pressed a hand on his chest, ignoring his flinch. "You're not, Edward. A person doesn't need to be in love with you to see that."

He glared down at me. "What have I changed in to then?"

"You haven't changed 'in to' anything. You've just shown everyone a bit of the person that's always been inside of you." I met his gaze forcefully, trying desperately to make him understand.

As a multitude of different expressions flickered across his face, only confusion present each time, I wondered how I could have ever been afraid of this man.

"You say that you will never love me," I continued. "And maybe you won't. That's okay, Edward. I just don't want to see you lose what you've found."

"And what have I found?" He asked in a low voice, meeting my eyes.

"Yourself." I smiled softly. "I think you've found yourself again."

"I never lost myself." He argued, though his voice had lost most of its fight.

"Yes, you did. All this revenge and all this violence…where has it gotten you, Edward?" I asked him quietly.

"It's kept me alive." He growled.

I shook my head. "Forget the hatred, Edward. Hasn't it consumed you long enough?"

He swallowed. "A bit longer, and it'll help me do what I set out to do thirteen years ago."

I frowned and backed away from him. "Say what you want, Edward, but you _have_ changed."

He didn't respond. He merely looked at the ground looking more lost than ever.

I felt my frown fall as I grabbed his hand gently in mine. "Maybe we're not ready to go back to what we were just yet, but I meant what I said before. I haven't stopped believing in you. I won't."

"Why?" He rasped out. "What are you to me?"

"I _want_ to be your friend, Edward." I murmured. "I want to be your confidante. I want you to trust me."

He closed his eyes and shook his head.

I lifted his knuckles to my lips, kissing them softly. "Don't let anyone sway you away from being who you are, Edward. Don't let anyone have that kind of power."

I let go of his hand and reached up to hug him, closing my eyes against his intoxicating scent. I wanted so badly for him to understand what I was telling him.

I loved him.

Yesterday had made me realize that. Instead of making me hate him, it made me see just how vulnerable his Uncle had made him. It made me fall in love with him even more.

Now, I just needed him to understand what the events of yesterday had taught me.

His arms remained frozen at his sides as though he were afraid of holding me close to him. It hurt me a little, but I decided that he simply needed time.

I was willing to give him that.

I pulled away from him and bent to pick up my mop. The minute I let go of him, Edward bolted out the door. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone to wonder whether what I had done was good or bad.

~•~

**EPOV:**

_"Forget the hatred, Edward. Hasn't it consumed you long enough?"_

Her words kept ringing in my head no matter how hard I tried to push them away. Who was this woman? And how did she have the power to do this to me?

I couldn't concentrate on anything. I kept hearing her voice telling me she loved me. I kept seeing her frustrated gaze as she struggled to tell me what she felt.

She loved me.

Isabella Swan, daughter of the Baron Swan was in love with me, a pirate captain. She must be crazy.

That was the only way I could rationalize her words. I'd physically hurt her just yesterday and today…she loved me?

Didn't she know that pirates don't love?

Didn't she know that I would never be able to give her a stable life like every woman wanted? I'd already dragged her down in to this cold, cruel world where something as pure as her just didn't belong.

Keeping her down here would surely be a sin.

"Edward? Oh, for God's sake, Edward!" Something jerked my shoulder roughly, and I looked up to see Jasper standing next to me with a look of exasperation.

"What?" I snapped.

"We've been calling you for ages." Jasper gestured to himself, James, and Emmett who were also standing in my room with identical expressions of annoyance.

"Do you want to do this now, or not, mate?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're the one that wanted to discuss tracking down Caius before he gets to us."

I straightened up in my chair and pushed aside thoughts of Bella. "Of course I do." I glanced at James. "You know the most about him. Any suggestions?"

James looked vaguely annoyed but nodded. "Right now, I've managed to lead him off track a little. He's been following us since port, but he knows _Twilight_ is fast. He's understood how we've been avoiding him so far."

"That won't last forever." Jasper interjected. "Do we have any idea where he is right now?"

James walked towards the desk and grabbed the map sitting in front of me. He traced a water route that wasn't too far from the one we were taking. "He should be about here right now. With luck, we'll be able to catch him if we intercept him right here." He pointed towards a section in the middle where the routes came dangerously close.

"What's our speed right now?" I asked Jasper, my eyes never leaving the map.

"Thirteen knots."

"Push us up to sixteen and we'll be able to catch up to him by tomorrow." I smirked softly. "We'll see if he can outrun a clipper."

"Tomorrow?" Jasper repeated. "Are you…" He hesitated, glancing at Emmett. "Are we ready for that?"

I glanced over at him. "Am I ready to kill the man that made me an orphan?" I clarified sardonically.

Jasper let out an exasperated sigh. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"I know." I said quietly. I stood up and met his gaze. "I need to do this now, Jasper. I need him out of my life."

Jasper nodded in understanding but didn't look particularly pleased about it. I knew Jasper. He felt for every life taken. And we both knew that tomorrow would be a day of bloodshed.

Jasper made his way out of my office and Emmett followed, clapping me on the shoulder as he went.

I turned to James when the door shut behind them. He was staring at me intently.

"What?"

"_Are_ you ready for this?" He asked.

"I thought I already answered that question." I muttered, turning back to the map.

He walked up next to me. "You're not exactly…stable right now."

"If you're referring to what happened with Bella-"

"Of course I'm referring to what happened with Bella!" He exclaimed, turning to me with narrowed eyes. "Don't think I haven't noticed how…pensive you've been since you came out of the galleys after your little talk."

"What, so I can't even think now?" I demanded angrily.

"Are you going to be 'thinking' when you're seconds away from slicing open the throat of Caius, too?"

"That has nothing to do with this."

"Of course it does!" James glared at me. "Your head isn't in the game right now. There's a reason I hadn't revealed myself till yesterday. You haven't been in the right mindset ever since that girl came on to this ship."

"Leave Bella out of this." I warned him, my temper flaring.

"It's true though, isn't it?" He continued. "She's fucking changed you and you can't even make clear decisions anymore."

"She's not going to influence me when it comes to Caius." I snarled.

"Fine. Just answer me one thing." James said, sneering. "If it was a choice between killing Caius and saving Bella…which one would you choose?"

I stared at him quietly, thinking of the cruel smirk on Caius's face that I could still remember of all these years and my anger at simply the thought of him. But then I heard _her_ soft laugh. I heard her telling me she loved me and I realized how hard I'd fallen.

"Keep in mind all of the time and effort that both of us have put in to tracking Caius." James reminded me.

I met his gaze finally. "I think you already know the answer to your question."

Silence filled the room as his expression grew stony. He slowly nodded, staring at me with a fair amount of disgust. Exhaling roughly, he left the room, the door slamming behind him.

Surprisingly, I felt a wry smile work its way on to my face. It seemed that somewhere along our bloodline, we'd both inherited a similar, nasty temper.

My eyes flickered to the map, which had decided my fate. Tomorrow was the day. It was the culmination of the past thirteen years.

I should have been excited or at the very least, nervous. But all I felt was calm; a strange sense of serenity.

My fingers traced over the spot where the death of my parents would be avenged. I still didn't feel anger. I didn't feel sorrow.

Letting out a small breath, I slowly made my way out of my room. The sun was shining brightly, but retreating slowly down to the edge of the ocean.

I saw Jasper standing near the edge, holding on to the railing. He was watching the crew go about their work, his eyes sharp yet slightly preoccupied.

I made my way over to him and he offered a small nod. "What were you and James talking about?" He asked. "He looked pretty mad when he left."

I shrugged. "I told him some truths that he wasn't willing to accept."

Jasper eyed me carefully. "Was it about Bella?"

My chest clenched slightly. "It might have been."

Jasper shook his head. "Why does he hate her so much? What did she do to him?"

"He thinks she's 'distracting' me. He thinks I won't be focused on killing Caius if Bella's around." I rolled my eyes.

Jasper's eyes automatically flickered to one of the crew on the deck. I followed his eyes and saw that he was actually staring at Bella.

She was talking with Seth, smiling and laughing. None of the other crew had been told of what had happened yesterday, and for that I was grateful.

After seeing the way Bella would interact about some of crew, I had a feeling that if they knew I'd hurt her, I would have a mutiny on my hands. The thought didn't anger me as it should have.

I glanced briefly at Jasper before looking back at Bella. "She told me she loved me." I said quietly.

"What?" Jasper demanded, immediately turning to face me. "When did this happen?"

"This morning. I…ran in to her."

He didn't look entirely convinced of my weak explanation, but he accepted it. "And she just…told you?"

"We were talking. She told me after I apologized. Again."

Jasper looked surprised. "I thought she'd be scared of you after what happened yesterday."

I felt a faint smile flicker across my face. "She's still a little firecracker." I murmured.

Jasper looked back at where Bella stood, looking slightly dumbfounded. "I guess she's stronger than we give her credit for."

"She definitely is." I agreed, unable to keep my eyes off of her.

As if she could sense my gaze on her, her eyes flickered over to me. I held her gaze for as long as she would let me. She offered me a hesitant smile before turning away from me.

And that was enough. For now.

**AN: Hello, my lovely readers! I'm sorry for the frequent POV changes in this chapter, but it was necessary. I wanted to show both Edward and Bella's reactions to the events of last chapter. So, I'm desperate to know what all of you think! How do you think tomorrow's going to go down with Caius? Do you think Bella's forgiving Edward too easily? Or is it normal when you're in love?**

**Thank you to every one of you that reviewed! You're reviews are so sweet and insightful and you all never fail to amaze me. You make my day/year/life: Valentine Rain, MIS love Twilight, whisperwind1886, Kate Monster, Girl-on-moon, KhristenHartgrove, ratih choco, jmulinax, AstridGreenEyes, suzy 2010, shaz308, LadyTx, RainDanceTammy, LiLi82, Love-RiniBell-Love, SarahCullenxxx, haylee21, Mz-Star, stephi910, fallingsnow87, Azlady2003, Night script, dipsydoodle, preunka, ADADancer, royalblueheiress, aAnnalise, Holidai, xrissyjax, , mayejrmorris, OnlyaCriticalReader, Jojo657, gypsy755, maryannabella, deranged-dreamer, amberkey, islandgirl7718, LaSpia, Paliaya, littlelizruth, texasangel75, icrodriguez, krmyers10, DutchGirl01, 3 PeaceLoveEmpathy, Narges, abbydog26, Sadie 1787, Angie's Twilight, MaryMary123, FilipaGouveia, xosummerxo, XCarly-JasperX, cbmorefie, Chugga, fanfic addict o.0, .7, click, Catherine, Blue Girl98, Nissa-Cullen, LuckiLuci, m0t0b33, tereses24, leahpooh, blueyez2010, amazed fan, Shiba-san, Robuan**

**I sense the next chapter being a biggie… ;) So look forward to that!**

**Review, review, review and I'll see you next time!**

**M-J**


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